15 Minutes Could Change Your Life 

There is a famous car insurance company that says “15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance.” I’m not sure if that is always true but there is a way 15 minutes could change your life. How can this happen? Take the 15 minutes spiritual challenge. Take 15 minutes a day to invest in your spirit. This one small habit can make a huge difference. 

A recent article on inc.com stats that successful people spend their mornings differently than others. Unlike most of us they do not get up just in time to go to work, rush to get their kids to school, and just barely make it to work. They do not start their day in stress, but rather on purpose. Successful people tend to do 4 things: They get up early, they get moving (usually committing time to exercise), They recharge themselves (usually through prayer or meditation), and they tackle their hardest task first. It is the third thing that I would like to talk about here.

Many successful people start their day addressing their spirits through prayer or meditation. Isn’t it interesting that recharging their spirits is more important than getting an early jump on their work? This is a very different picture than what we see in popular movies, where the successful person is stressed, overworked, and ignores herself, her family, and her personal needs. In reality, many successful people look beyond themselves for focus and direction. 

In our church, we challenge people to take the 15-minute challenge. We challenge people to spend 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week in prayer and scripture reading. For me personally, my prayer time can be meditative and reflective, or a celebration of praise and thanksgiving. I often go for walks and pray. That’s right. If you see me walking by the beach in the morning and my mouth is moving, I am not talking to myself nor am I crazy. I am praying! Prayer and Christian meditation change me and make a big difference in my life. Here is how: 

Prayer and Christian meditation remind me that I am not alone. 

We are a people who tend to be self-centered. It is not that we want to be, but life takes over. There is work, the children or the grandchildren, the chores, or the whatever. Life takes over. That is why we rush for here to there, thinking about our own need and wants. This can create lonely life, not to mention that is also exhausting. Focusing on ourselves or on our work only, creates a real sense of loneness. Prayer reminds us that we are not alone. Many times, I have encountered a real sense that God is with me. I become aware of His presence. It has been my experience, that God is not far from us. He is as close to us right now as we want Him to be.

Prayer and Christian meditation bring gratitude into my life. 

Gratitude is powerful. It is sad that we only think of it once a year when we eat turkey. I have heard it said that it is impossible to feel a feeling of thankfulness and a feeling of anxiety at the same time. I found this to be true for me. When I center on myself, I am acutely aware of my limitations and fears. This creates anxiety in my life. I begin to worry, and most of what I worry about I cannot even control. 

Gratefulness takes us out of the driver’s seat. We realize that we have things that we do not deserve, nor have we earned. All of us do. Being thankful puts us in a state of mind where we can receive more. We can also put the proper things into perspective. We might become more thankful for people we love, rather than being upset about the things we don’t have. God has blessed us more than we think. Prayer helps us see it. 

Prayer and Christian meditation focus me on the right things.

Real success is not measured by the car I drive or the size of my house. It is my relationship with God, my family, and my personal character. Starting my day with prayer and scripture reading focuses my mind on the things that are important. Prayer for me is more about being in God’s presence and being changed. Many have an idea that prayer is just about getting God to do the things they want him to do for them. No doubt, there is a time and place to ask God for things, but for me prayer is more about changing me. Prayer changes my focus, changes my desires, and changes my character. 

When I pray now, I usually spend more than 15 minutes, but when I started 15 minutes was a long time. Now, it is a time I look forward to.

 Successful people know the value of starting early and not procrastinating. More importantly, many know the value of having a healthy body, mind and spirit. God is not far from us. The Apostle Paul said He is as close as our mouths. One of the ancient prophets said that if we draw near to Him, He would draw near to us. This I also found to be true. Take the 15 min challenge today. Start by reading verses from the Gospel of John or go for a quiet walk. Just 15 minutes could change your life.