Text- James 5:16 – “Therefore, confess your sins, one to another. And pray for one another so that you may be healed…”
These days, a lot of people keep a good front in Church, while they hide all the mess in their lives, and try to ‘manage’ it all by themselves. Indeed, accountability is a virtue that is almost extinct in the 21st century Church.
Church is not more about the meetings, than it is about the life. People feel it is good enough to attend the meetings; they don’t want a pastor that will ‘rudely intrude’ into the lives and privacies. This concept of accountability is one that scares a lot of church folks. Some in fact resent it.
I have found that people are simply too afraid, too skeptical, or too proud to open their lives up to another believer in all honesty and sincerity. They feel they may be harshly judged, face disapproval, or lose some reputation for their shortcomings.
Accountability should be a vital point in the life of every believer. You should have one or two people in your life who genuinely loves you, and are devoted to your spiritual growth (Your spiritual father, covenant friends, etc.) with whom you can and would freely share things that you do not want anyone to know.
There should be one or two people who have the right to invade your privacy, and ask you the tough questions; people with whom you are completely honest and open about your struggles and mistakes.
Accountability not only keeps you in check, it keeps you within the limits of safety, and promptly exposes the devil whenever he tries to mess with your life and with your faith.
Ephesians 4:25 says “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another”. This kind of culture can only be cultivated in atmosphere of accountability. You get to hear the plain truth that no other person may be able to tell you, and you get to enjoy the extension of God’s grace when you make mistakes.
Beloved, only God is self-sufficient. You aren’t, no other person is. When you are submitted to an accountability structure, the habit of being open, honest and asking for help when you are weak and weary will keep you conscious of the fact that you can of yourself do nothing.
A note of caution here is to develop trust before you begin to open up your life and share sensitive/personal information about yourself. You must be sure that the person (or group) to whom you want to be accountable genuinely loves you, and is dedicated to your spiritual growth. When trust is developed, you can be freely open without fear of betrayal.
PRAYER
Lord, I choose to take full advantage of the accountability structure(s) you have brought into my life. Help me not to be stubborn and hard-hearted, but to humbly open up and take godly counsel in Jesus Name.
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