Last night at church our Pastor confirmed a thought that has been blazing in my heart for a long while. Busyness has become a built-in facet of our modern society. As I looked around throughout the sermon, I saw everyone shaking their heads in agreement. It brings great pause to my heart in thinking of how many areas of spiritually growth we inevitably deprioritize because of busyness. Primarily, we tend to not give God His rightly place as the top priority in our lives and our hearts. Relationally people also suffer, and all too often we let our spiritual growth through accountability slide to last on our list, below a multitude of other less important things. We think if we could only get these other tasks out of the way, things will calm down and we would have more time. Never happens! Excuses pile onto more excuses and instead of moving forward we find ourselves slowly failing out of true community with others.
Over the last several months through many conversation, I have had an overwhelming sense that even though people say they know it is important to be accountable, they have a poor understanding of what accountability truly is. They say they want it or need it, yet have no idea what that really entails. So what is godly accountability? Accountability is being honest with another person or small group of people about our outward tendencies and habits, as well as the desires and thoughts that drive us. It is about confessing the things we struggle with. It is about searching our souls and letting people in so that someone else can see sin struggles that we may not even be aware of ourselves. It is encouraging people in the love of Christ and His saving grace. It is about Jesus using relationships with others to grow us, stretch us, challenge us and mold us into His likeness. Accountability is consistent, helpful and joyful. It is about discipling others and being discipled ourselves.
Within accountability we:
Clearly as Christians, we see these things as helpful and needed. However, even with the good fruit people undoubtably know would come from being in accountability with others, people still tend to avoid accountability for 4 main reasons:
My hope is that you will see that authentic accountability is important and of value to you. God is sufficient in giving us all we need and He gives us relationships and community with others to grow us and teach us.
Are you willing to create disciples and be discipled yourself?
Over the last several months through many conversation, I have had an overwhelming sense that even though people say they know it is important to be accountable, they have a poor understanding of what accountability truly is. They say they want it or need it, yet have no idea what that really entails. So what is godly accountability? Accountability is being honest with another person or small group of people about our outward tendencies and habits, as well as the desires and thoughts that drive us. It is about confessing the things we struggle with. It is about searching our souls and letting people in so that someone else can see sin struggles that we may not even be aware of ourselves. It is encouraging people in the love of Christ and His saving grace. It is about Jesus using relationships with others to grow us, stretch us, challenge us and mold us into His likeness. Accountability is consistent, helpful and joyful. It is about discipling others and being discipled ourselves.
Within accountability we:
- carry burdens for one another (Galatians 6:2)
- speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)
- admonish willful disobedience (Colossians 3:16)
- grow our faith (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
- offer and accept correction (2 Timothy 4:2)
- encourage each other daily (Hebrews 3:13)
- encourage love and good works (Hebrews 10:23-25)
- pray for each other (James 5:16)
Clearly as Christians, we see these things as helpful and needed. However, even with the good fruit people undoubtably know would come from being in accountability with others, people still tend to avoid accountability for 4 main reasons:
- Pride
- Laziness
- Rebelliousness
- Fear of rejection or judgement
"Humility is key. Nothing destroys any relationship – accountability included – like people who are too prideful to confess their sins, too selfish to forsake them, too self-centered to care about the struggles of others, and too egotistical to accept godly reproof. Accountability groups are one great way God can use to humble us because of the mutual confession of our own wickedness. Don’t turn it into one more opportunity to showcase your perceived greatness."
My hope is that you will see that authentic accountability is important and of value to you. God is sufficient in giving us all we need and He gives us relationships and community with others to grow us and teach us.
Are you willing to create disciples and be discipled yourself?
