Lent begins in just a few days. It seems so incredible that the time between Christmas and Ash Wednesday has already passed. New Year's Day was just yesterday, right?
Often when people approach Lent they treat it as a sort of New Year's - Lenten resolutions to 'give something up' often mirror those New Year's Resolutions. Some don't give much thought and fall back on the old standby that they give up every year. Others go back to those New Year's resolutions that have already fallen away and decide those make good Lenten practices. Some give great thought and reflection to what their Lenten sacrifice may be.
If I may be so bold, let me offer a bit of a suggestion. Try for that last category this year. To help, here are a few reflection questions to spend time on today or over the next few days:
- What thing, relationship, event, behavior, or activity negatively affects your relationship with God?
- How does that thing, relationship, event, behavior, or activity negatively affect your relationship with God?
- Given that, what can you change over the 40 days of Lent regarding that situation? Do you need to stop participating in an activity? Change a habit? Resolve a negative relationship? Seek reconciliation with someone? Something else?
- What steps are involved in changing that thing, relationship, event, behavior, or activity?
- Who might you seek to help support you in this journey of Lent and sacrifice? Spiritual director? Go to confession? A mentor or faith-filled friend?
- What thing, relationship, event, behavior, or activity can replace the negative one that will help draw you closer to God?
- How can you incorporate that into your daily Lenten life?
Take time to reflect. Challenge yourself. If you wish, feel free to share your Lenten sacrifice in the comments.
Tomorrow: Ways to share your time in service this Lent.
In response to this bullet point from the post Challenge Yourself: "Who might you seek to help support you in this journey of Lent and sacrifice? Spiritual director? Go to confession? A mentor or faith-filled friend?".
ReplyDeleteI have consulted my spiritual director. She helped me discover that I am in a cycle of people pleasing. We were able to trace the root cause of "Why I started People Pleasing". I was able to trace the pattern of this behavior. It stemmed from childhood. This Lent is particular important because I am releasing burdens and bad habits that will distract me from serving Jesus Christ. Sincerely, Heather Duke from the Young Adult Board