Restless Heart Syndrome

Restless Heart Syndrome


Be still and know that I am God. Psalms 46:10


Bedtime is always welcome, but not always easy. The first issue is that my little fur ball of a dog is not always interested in letting me go to sleep. This is especially true if I  have worked a long day. He will either crawl up beside me and "oof" for attention, curl up on the opposite corner and "oof" so I have to sit up and pet him, or get just out of reach on the floor and bark. Resistance is futile, so finally I get out of bed and follow him into the living room. A lot of the time he goes to the door, wagging his tail, and then cuts between my legs and jumps up in my spot in the bed. Once he has settled in, the next issue comes along. My leg muscles tense as I am trying to relax. My feet twitch and I feel an irresistible urge to move my legs. Sometimes just as I am falling over the edge into sleep, they will jerk and startle me awake. The diagnosis is restless leg syndrome, and  medication has helped a lot, for which my husband is grateful. What has not responded to medication is my restless heart syndrome.




Symptoms of this disorder include dissatisfaction with life as it is, disappointment with God, and a sense of disquiet in the spirit. This syndrome was first seen in the garden of Eden when Eve was tricked by the serpent into believing that God was not being fair to them and they could have more wisdom and be like God. (Genesis 3) Another recorded case was seen in the people building the Tower of Babel, believing they could "ascend to the heavens," (Genesis 11) In exodus we see the tell tale symptoms in the Israelites who grew frustrated with Moses, asking in Exodus 14:11 ¹¹They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? One of their most dramatic episodes came when they had Aaron make the golden calf for them to worship, assuring  Moses that they had just thrown the gold into the fire and that was what came out! (Exodus 32).
 Cases of restless heart syndrome occur throughout the Bible and into our own lives. Risk factors include spiritual malnutrition (1 Peter 2:2) and lack of contact with the Great Physician. Recommended treatment is the following.


Be still and know that I am God. Psalms 46:10


For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15


Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5


Life is hard and most times there are no easy answers for things we face. Saying that we should depend on God my sound like a pat answer, but that is not my intention. What I do know is that in my life when I have been upset with God and feeling adrift, I have come back to the point that Peter did, saying "Where else can we go? You have the words of life. (John 6:68) If you are hurt and your heart is restless, I am sorry.  It is a real problem and not something to be made light of. God, the one Hagar called THE GOD WHO SEES, has not forgotten you.