Prayer for peaceful sleep
To grow spiritually and draw closer to the Lord, isn't it essential for all of us to pray as often as possible ? It's in these moments of withdrawal from the world and solitude before God that He can speak to us and guide us. In the evening, we're often fogged in by our day's worries, and sometimes find it hard to fall asleep. Here's how to pray:
Why and how to pray in the evening?
Praying in the evening, before going to bed, is the most beautiful way for us Christians to conclude our days. During this evening prayer, we can take time to re-read our day in the light of the Holy Spirit:
Thank God for the good times, the wonderful encounters and discussions.
Ask forgiveness for our sins, our outbursts, and all those moments when we didn't do the good we'd like to have done.
Entrust our night and the prayer intentions we have for ourselves and our loved ones to the Lord's Prayer.
Of course, we can say our evening prayer at any time, just before going to bed, or before the children's bedtime if we wish to pray as a family. The content of the prayer is also free. Some people prefer to pray spontaneously, while others may find that drawing on existing prayers makes it easier to be inspired and nourished in prayer.
An evening prayer for finding peace in sleep
"My Father,
Now that the voices have fallen silent
and the clamors have died down,
here at the foot of the bed
my soul rises to You, to say:
I believe in You, in You I hope,
and I love You with all my strength,
Glory to You, Lord!
Into your hands I deposit the fatigue and struggles,
the joys and disappointments
of this day that is behind me.
If my nerves have betrayed me,
if selfish impulses have dominated me,
if I have given in to resentment or sadness,
Forgive me, Lord!
Have mercy on me.
If I have been unfaithful,
if I have spoken vain words,
if I have let myself be carried away by impatience,
if I have been a thorn in someone's side,
forgive me, Lord!
Tonight
I don't want to give in to sleep
without feeling in my soul
the assurance of your mercy,
your sweet mercy
entirely free of charge.
Dear Lord! I thank you, Father,
because you have been the cool shadow
that has enveloped me all day.
I thank you because,
invisible, loving, enveloping,
you have taken care of me like a mother,
during all these hours.
Dear Lord! Now, all around me,
all is silence, all is calm.
Send the Angel of Peace over this house.
Relax my nerves,
soothe my spirit,
release my tensions,
inundate my being with silence and serenity.
Watch over me, beloved Father,
As I surrender to sleep,
trusting as a child
who sleeps happily in your arms.
In your Name, Lord, I will rest easy.
Amen."
An evening prayer for everyone
There are many evening prayers adapted to every need and spiritual sensitivity. Here, for example:
- Three other short prayers, written by a contemporary saint, pope and priest
- A touching evening prayer to recite with the family
- A beautiful evening prayer to Mary, written as poetry
- An evening prayer to our guardian angel, written by the Holy Curé d'Ars, to thank him for his protection and ask for his intercession with God.
Hozana helps us pray every night!
Convinced of the power of prayer, Hozana's aim is to help everyone persevere, so that all of us Christians can experience the joy of prayer and the presence of Jesus in our lives. To achieve this, Hozana offers a wide range of spiritual suggestions, among which you'll find those that will nourish your prayer. For example, you can receive a different prayer each day, the gospel of the day with commentary, or a daily meditation. It's up to you to choose your first community!
