Do you begin your day in a rush? You rush to wake up, get yourself dressed, eat your meal, and then you're off to work? Then after work, you have errands to run, dinner to cook, and housework to complete. Even if you are a stay-at-home mom or you work from home, your day can still be filled with an abundance of non-stop or unproductive activity. One of the best ways to make the most out of your day as well as your life is to incorporate a Daily Hour of Power. An Hour of Power is time you cut our just to nurture you. It is a time of self-development and mental, spiritual, or physical growth. Each day, it's important that we check in with ourselves. If we don't, life just becomes like the wheel of a treadmill. We just do what we did today because we did it yesterday. We're not living with passion or according to our highest values. In fact, without taking time to find out what we want, we may not even realize what is really important to us. Some good questions to ask are, "Why am I doing the things I do?" "Are my actions based on faith or fear?" "Am I living or just existing?" "Am I getting the most out of my life?" If you never stop to check in with yourself and God, how do you really know?
Incorporating a Daily Hour of Power in your life can help you answers these questions and more. For years my Hour of Power included a time for meditation, reading the Bible, reading my confession of faith, and journaling. I also used this time to work through uncomfortable emotions, schedule my day, and get focused on my vision. When distractions presented themselves throughout the day, the time I spend getting centered with God and my purpose, kept me from being pulled in opposing directions. In addition, because I had a clearer vision for my life through taking time to understand my values and desires, I could say no to activities that didn't line up with my goals. My Hour of Power helps me to set the course of my life instead of being swept away with every idle thought or new idea.
Now that I hoped I've convinced you of the power of an Hour of Power, I want to share with you some specific ways you can use this time effectively.
Meditation
The Bible tells us to "be still and know that I am God." It is through stillness and quiet that our relationship with God expands. Through meditation, whether on scriptures, a sacred word, or just soaking in God's presence, we learn to quiet our minds, renew our thoughts, and create a greater space for the Lord in our lives. Spending time everyday in meditation also breaks the cycle of unconscious living because we're able to detach from mindless patterns and make choices that benefit our life and others. You can find a variety of Christian meditation techniques on the internet or even purchase Christ-centered meditation Cds.
Prayer
Prayer takes the burdens of life off ourselves and puts them on God. Jesus said Come to me all who are burdened and of a heavy heart and I will give you rest. He also tells his children to Cast your cares upon me and I will give you rest. You can find numerous scriptures that encourage Christians not to worry but to bring all of our needs unto him and then to stand in faith believing that God will never leave us or forsake us. Hardship and prayer gives God the opportunity to move in our lives in miraculous and unexpected ways. Establishing prayer in your Hour of Prayer will allow you to start your day lighter, freer, and putting your faith in the Lord.
Journaling
Journaling is an invaluable tool for transforming. Journaling can help you work through destructive emotions, record your spiritual growth, write down inspirations you receive from the spirit, and heal your life. Journaling helps you to dig deep within and uncover areas of denial, fear, and hurt. We can't change what we don't see or acknowledge and journaling acts as an excavation tool to dig up the junk we need to heal and eliminate. Spending some time each day writing your thoughts or whatever comes to mind, can also lead to a well spring of inspiration and creativity that you never knew existed.
Affirmations
We become what we meditate on? We become what we believe? By changing our thoughts and the words we use each day, we can our own consciousness and our changed consciousness changes our outcomes. If your limiting beliefs are causing you from doing or being the person you really want to be, then it's time to change your telling yourself. If you are shy, begin to affirm you are outgoing. If you are fearful, affirm your courage. Make a list of who or what you want to be, and then spend time during your Hour of Power repeating them at least 3 times each. If you do it long enough and then begin to take baby steps to act upon uncomfortable situations, you can change your life tremendously.
Inspiration Reading
Many people don't read. Christians don't read their Bibles or other inspirational books. You won't think to go without physical food. In fact, many of us eat when were not even hungry, but all too often we're starving our spirits because we neglect to feed our spirits. Incorporating time within your Hour of Power to read the Bible or an inspirational or self-development book will keep you growing and expanding mentally and spiritually. Many times I will read a self-improvement book while exercising on the treadmill at the gym or I'll listen to motivational CD or the Bible on tape while doing housework. Everyday I want to feed my spirit so I can continue to move forward and become the best me I can be.
Gratitude
Many people often look at what is wrong with their life instead of all the things that are actually right with there life. When we focus on the negative its like giving permission to a heavy, dark, cloud to follow us around and rain on our life. We begin to see every circumstance through an unhappy or pessimistic filter or dismal eye glasses. It doesn't matter how much good is happening, shade it with negativity or don't see it altogether. I thank God every day that I can live in peace, have a warm bed to sleep in, wonderful children, use of my legs and other facilities, have my health, and the list goes on. Of course, there are things I would like to change or aren't going the way I want at the moment, but I turn those things over to God in prayer knowing he will take care of them in his time. Make it a point to list 5-10 things you are grateful for each day. It can be as simple as a warm cup of cocoa.
Visualizations
The Bible gives us a lot of advice concerning visions. We are told that without a vision my people perish. God tells us to write our vision on the wall and to make it plain and to share it with anybody who will listen. Paul told us to speak those things that be not as though they already were. Visualizing is simply seeing the outcome that we want. It's like daydreaming with a purpose. Scientific studies declare that our mind can differentiate fantasy from reality. Just think about biting into a lemon and watch how your mouth salivates. In the same light, your brain doesn't know you're visualizations about your prospering business or slim figure is just wishful thinking. Use some time during your Hour of Power to visualize your success in the present moment, before it has actually happened. By doing so, you invite the universe to help you manifest your desires and open the door to unexpected encounters and miracles to make it happen.
Exercise
I decided to include exercise in the Hour of Power because exercise gets us moving and movement creates momentum. In actually, you will probably need to schedule exercise before or after your Hour of Power, but you do want to include it. When you exercise you release endorphins, the feel good hormones. These endorphins will help you to ward of depression and procrastination. Exercise will also enhance the other aspects of the Hour of Power listed. Almost daily, I will walk while I tell God what I'm grateful for, declare what I'm thankful for (visualizations), and say my affirmations aloud.
About the Author
Need help getting your life in balance? Check out my Biblically-based program Detox Your Life Life and Awaken Your Inner Spirit. The program will help you incorporate the following activities and other spiritual disciplines to transform your mind, body, spirit, relationships, and more. Try Christian Meditation for Free.
Full text religion-and-spirituality articles - Content for Reprint
Related Articles
- Make Money Trading: Creating Profitable Classified Ads …
Trackbacks
- Phones For You: Monster Cable MP AV600 Power Protector …
- Deer Hunting Gear: Primos Power Drake And Duck Whistle Call …
- [WATCH]: Suzuki Kizashi vs. A4: TSX? - Autoline Daily 284 …
- The Impact of Computer Technology in Our Daily Lives …
