Rarely do my best ideas come in the middle of a hurricane.
I have learned the power of prayer firsthand. For many years, I have made it a priority to take my concerns—even my material ones—to Him daily. Though I perhaps ask for too many things, I continue to pray and hope that God will give me what I need and keep me away from evil. I encourage you to do the same. He will limit what you can have and give you what you need. I have found that prayer is essential for our wellbeing. This was especially true as I worked in a very dangerous place: the California State Legislature. Prayer kept me going, protected me, opened doors, and gave me strength to say no when I needed it.
Many times, after doing His ministry, Christ would retreat into the wilderness to spend time with the Father (Luke 5:16). Christ had a need to spend time with the Father. If even He needed this, how much more time should we, frail humans, spend with our Father?
Downtime
I know, I certainly have needed time to pray. I often become busy with work, the employees I had to manage, legislative duties, family, and church. I had deadlines and bottom lines to worry about. Then, in addition to these responsibilities, I had to plan for the future, my children’s college education, my reelection, and my retirement. After a while, it became a fast-paced merry-go-round. I soon developed tunnel vision and lost my focus. Then the worries overwhelmed me. I became ineffective. This is when I needed downtime with God to contemplate.
Business consultants know that people are most creative and effective when their minds are relaxed. These people do not talk in terms of prayer but rather in terms of needing to get away to clear their thoughts, to relax the mind, to have peace. They say that when we have downtime, we become more creative. Our thinking is restored. In the same way, we need time for quiet reflection with God; it is essential for our souls to be in communion with the Father.
Secular studies have shown the benefits of quiet time and meditation. For example, an article in The Journal of Behavioral Medicine compared studies on secular and spiritual forms of meditation to understand its benefits. In one study, participants were taught meditation and relaxation techniques and were encouraged to practice them for twenty minutes a day for two weeks. After two weeks, the participants returned to the lab, and researchers found that they had positive moods and decreased anxiety, and they seemed to tolerate pain better than the ones in the group who did not practice relaxation techniques and meditation. The Spiritual Meditation group had greater decreases in anxiety and more positive mood, spiritual health, and spiritual experiences.
It is wise for us to retreat into our own wilderness—whether it be on a mountaintop, the desert, or a park a couple of miles away from home. This has been most profitable for me. I have found that it allows clarity of thinking and the ability to focus better on the more important matters in life.
Retreat
Take mini vacations as often as you can. I often go to the park with my yellow scratchpad and begin to think about my wife, relationships, children, ministry, my business, and what is next for me in life. I invite God to be part of my thought process. I just begin to think naturally, and in doing so, I have noticed that my spirit calms and my mind relaxes. This is from where some of my best and brightest ideas have sprung forth. Somehow, the creativity flows. Fruit is born in all areas of life—spiritual, mental, and financial. The only question is: Why don’t I do it more? On Saturday mornings, my wife and I have often taken walks for approximately an hour and a half. We discuss life in general and invite God to be a part of our conversation. We just walk and talk to each other and ask God to guide our conversations and thoughts. We ask that God enable us to be better parents, spouses, citizens, employers, and employees. I am confident God has had His hand on us. I cannot overemphasize the power of prayer.
Pray
Pray for your family. Pray for our country. Pray for good health. And pray for your finances. You cannot afford not to take time to pray. God will make up any lost time. Avoid that fast-paced merry-go-round I have sometimes found myself on; it is not how life is intended to be. As I reflect, this has proven to be a winning strategy—to take time to get away from the office or life in general. Short vacations or just a walk to the park are very productive times.
An edited excerpt from The Road to Restoring the Family: Leaving an Inheritance to Our Children’s Children, by Senator Mike Morrell (Retired)
Mike Morrell is a husband, father, grandfather, and lifelong Californian. The Road to Restoring the Family is a collection of Mike’s advice and reflections based on the truths of the Bible, the inherited wisdom of some of the world’s greatest thinkers, and Mike’s life experiences as a business owner, family man, and California State Senator. He and Joanie have been married for over four decades and have four adult children.
Great article. It hasn’t been until recently that I have given permission to myself to have quiet time. It serves as a reminder to think and also meditate. What I also thought about while reading this, is that I do pray often; for my children, my grandchildren, my health, my county, etc. but, it is hurried and I need to slow down to feel God’s hand on me!
Great reminder of the need to spend quiet time with ourselves and with the Lord.
I heard this man, Mike Morrell, interviewed this week. A powerful speaker. A challenging motivator. A humble and quiet prayer warrior. I ordered his book on ‘The Road To Restoring The Family’. After reading such encouragement for myself, I passed it to a young friend who has a husband and four children. Thank you for posting the great information!