This post was originally published on this site

Start your meeting by watching together the Be the Bee episode “Habits” by Steve Christoforou.

Take some time to journal on your own:

  1. What habits (good or bad) are you currently growing in your life?
  2. What is one habit you’d like to uproot in your life?
  3. What is one habit you’d like to cultivate in your life?

Then, as a group or in smaller groups, discuss the following questions:

  1. What have you found to be effective in uprooting negative habits and cultivating positive habits?
  2. What do you do when you find yourself struggling to maintain good habits?
  3. How can your OCF community support one another in cultivating good habits?

On your own, journal and reflect on:

  1. What is one thing you’ll try this week to uproot a negative habit or cultivate a positive habit?
  2. If you implemented that change, how would your life look different in one month?

Finally, write an email to yourself with what you have outlined above. Schedule the email to send to your own account on the first day of Advent. Revisit this topic and the personal reflection questions when you get your email. How are you doing with your habits? What do you need to adjust? Is it time to check in with a spiritual guide to evaluate what is working and what is not? After you’ve done this, schedule yourself another email for the beginning of Lent. Any time is a good time to start building Christ-centered habits, and the Church gives us the fasting seasons to focus our energy on reorienting ourselves.

Conclude today’s meeting by praying Psalm 118(119):1-16

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the Lord!

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,

who seek him with their whole heart,

who also do no wrong,

but walk in his ways!

Thou hast commanded thy precepts

to be kept diligently.

O that my ways may be steadfast

in keeping thy statutes!

Then I shall not be put to shame,

having my eyes fixed on all thy commandments.

I will praise thee with an upright heart,

when I learn thy righteous ordinances.

I will observe thy statutes;

O forsake me not utterly!

How can a young man keep his way pure?

By guarding it according to thy word.

With my whole heart I seek thee;

let me not wander from thy commandments!

I have laid up thy word in my heart,

that I might not sin against thee.

Blessed be thou, O Lord;

teach me thy statutes!

With my lips I declare

all the ordinances of thy mouth.

In the way of thy testimonies I delight

as much as in all riches.

I will meditate on thy precepts,

and fix my eyes on thy ways.

I will delight in thy statutes;

I will not forget thy word.