Waking

When Nightmares Come

Scripture: “You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security.”~ Proverbs 3:24–26 (NLT)

Devotional:

My eyes opened widely in the thick black darkness of my bedroom one silent night. All was still—eerily still. But then I heard it: the soft tapping of paws across the wooden floor, followed by a deep, growling breath. I froze. My heart pounded. I was only three—five at the most—too young to die, too small to fight.

I pulled the covers over my head, but I could feel the beast breathing through them. Razor-sharp fangs just inches from my face. In a whimper, I cried out:“Help! Mom!!!”

She appeared out of the dark. Calm. Gentle. Real.

“Shhhhh,” she said, brushing back my hair. “Don’t be afraid. It’s only a nightmare.” She knelt beside me, her presence chasing away every trace of fear. “Everything will be okay,” she whispered until I drifted back to sleep.

And she was still there in the morning, smiling.

We all experience nightmares—not just the kind that visit us in childhood, but the ones that creep into adulthood: financial fears, health crises, broken relationships, grief, anxiety. These are the beasts in the dark, growling threats we can’t quite see, but we feel them breathing down our necks.

Like the memory of a bad dream, fear lingers. It’s often the first response when life spins out of control. But Scripture reminds us again and again: we are not alone in the dark.

Psalm 17 tells us that this life is not the whole story. It reads:“My contentment is not in wealth but in seeing You and knowing all is well between us. And when I awake in heaven, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see You face to face.”

What a beautiful parallel to that childhood morning—waking up to sunlight, peace, and the loving smile of someone who had been there all along.

Just as my mother stayed beside me through the fear, God stays close through every terror of the night. He doesn't always remove the darkness immediately, but He always brings the dawn.

Reflections:

1. What current “nightmares” are keeping you awake at night?

2. How can you remind yourself of God's nearness when fear begins to rise?

3. Who has God placed in your life to be a comforting presence during your dark moments?

4. 
   

Prayer:

Father, when the fears of life feel real and overwhelming, remind me that You are closer than the darkness. Calm my anxious thoughts and help me rest in Your presence. Thank You for the promise that one day, I will awake and see You face to face—no more fear, no more night. Until then, help me to trust You with every worry and walk each day in Your peace. Amen.

© Copyright 2021, Revised 2022, 2023, 2024. 2025 Gary Landerfelt MyPericope.com