James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other.”
My girlfriend was coming to visit me from the States. I knew back then that I didn’t want to sleep with her until or if we were to get married, but based on my previous track record, I didn’t fancy my chances of staying pure. So I told my friend Tom, and we agreed together that if I messed up in any way, he would take a big sum of money donated to Burundi and burn it in front of me! It sounds unorthodox, maybe even weird, but it worked. I didn’t touch her, which is a good job because she wasn’t my future wife and I wasn’t her future husband. Without a relationship of accountability with Tom, I have no doubt it would have gone very differently…
Accountability involves a group of people engaged in intentional, open, ruthlessly honest relationships for mutual encouragement, strengthening, and challenge. Having people like that in my life has been crucial. At key times, when faced with marriage difficulties, sexual temptation, ethical issues, or whatever, I can call them in and lay myself bare.
Apparently only 15% of evangelicals have any form of such accountability, and they are the branch within Christendom with the highest number. There’s nothing the devil likes more than to keep us isolated. Are you? You are if you don’t have any accountability relationships. And notice they have to be ruthlessly honest, otherwise they aren’t fit for purpose. I remember at university getting up to no good for a year with a girlfriend. I chose not to tell my prayer partner about that area of my life and he didn’t ask me. What a wasted opportunity!
A problem shared is a problem halved. We share with God, but need to share with others too, as our verse above states. If you don’t, you’re on dangerous ground. Make a good choice today!
Lord, help me identify the right person/people to be accountable with, and to follow through in making it happen today. Amen!
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