Sleepwalking Through Life

But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:13-21 ESV).

Sleepwalking is also called “somnambulism.” It is a parasomnia. A parasomnia involves undesired events that come along with sleep. Sleepwalking occurs when you get up from bed and walk around even though you are still asleep. It can also involve a series of other complex actions. Before walking, you might sit up in bed and look around in a confused manner. At other times, individuals may bolt from the bed and walk or run away. They may be frantic to escape from a threat that they dreamed or imagined. You might talk or shout as you are walking. Your eyes are usually open and have a confused, “glassy” look to them. You might begin doing routine daily actions that are not normally done at night. We can sleepwalk spiritually if we are not intentional about the use of our time. All of us have the same amount of time. There are one hundred sixty-eight hours a week, divided into twenty-four hours a day. It is not how much time we have; it is how we use our time. This is a spiritual, as well as practical, issue. Our reading urges us to “Be careful, then, how you live, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time.” What are the keys to accomplishing that in our lives? Let me suggest two things that might be helpful, especially as we are about to begin the holiday season with all of the demands placed on our schedules. First, make a list of the top three to five priorities of your life. This list will help you prioritize how you spend your time. Take your time in making this list. It should be a reflection of both what you actually do and what your desire to do is. Second, classify each of these according to priority. As I approach each day I like to assign colors to my tasks. Red is for those things that must be done now. The house is on fire; get the fire put out now. Yellow is for those things that might turn into a fire. Get them done if you can. And, then green for those things that are good to do, but can wait if necessary. This process seems crisis oriented, and it is; but life is often a series of such circumstances. Plan for them. Third, don’t let life happen to you. Take control of your time.