Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
While your mate should be your primary accountability partner, there also is great benefit in getting "sharpened" by other godly Christians. If you want to see some significant growth in your spiritual maturity this may be the most important step you could take.
I have three suggestions:
First, determine your needs. What are the two or three things that seem to entangle you more than anything else? Is it finances? Lustful thoughts? Overeating? Not spending enough time with the Lord?
Second, select a mature Christian-of the same sex-who would have the courage to speak the truth and ask you tough questions. This should not be someone who would fear your rejection, or someone who has a weakness in the same area, or someone you feel you can manipulate or control. This is especially important if you are strong-willed or have a powerful personality.
Third, approach this person and ask him to keep you accountable. Here is what you might say: "Bill, I have a problem and I really need your help in an area of my life. I need for you to love me through this and hold my feet to the fire, but not be judgmental. Because, Bill, I really need to get victory over this."
Finally, meet with this person on a regular basis to set measurable goals and to allow him to ask you how you're doing. Agree to a list of questions he will ask you. "Frank, have you written out a budget yet?" "Why not?" "When will you do it?" And here's a powerful one: "Have you lied to me at all today?"
If you're trying to mature in Christ and gain victory over sin by yourself, you're missing it! Praise God that He has given us the body of Christ...to strengthen us, encourage us and keep us accountable!
Prayer: That God would lead you to people who He can use to sharpen you.
Discuss: What are your greatest needs that would lead you to find an accountability partner? Who are potential accountability partners you could approach?
3 comments:
There's the verse that all christian men should have down...
I do agree with everything he says here especially about the willingness to ask the tough questions and the big one at the end.
However, I dont necessarily agree with choosing someone who has a weakness in the same area.
Have a great day guys.
...This should NOT be someone who ...has a weakness in the same area...
Your instincts are right, trm, the wording of the second paragraph is just a bit odd. The author is saying it's a bad idea for two guys with the same weakness to be accountable to one another. I suppose that might turn into a co-dependent relationship.
tba
Well, i think it is clear you gotta have one. I don't think that it is a problem for someone to have the same weakness if both are truly commited to becoming Christ-like and being unwilling to except failure as an option. I also think we have to learn what it means to truly repent for sin.I agree with what ER said as well. It can not just be a negative thing, there has to be a lot uplifting and building each other up.
Blessings,
cas
The Greek word for repentance, "metanoia," while it means "to have another mind," cannot properly be defined to exclude a sense of hatred of and penitence for sin. The biblical concept of repentance involves far more than merely a casual change of thinking. Biblically, a person who repents does not continue willfully in sin. Repentance is a turning from sin, and it always results in changed behavior (Luke 3:8). While sorrow from sin is not equivalent to repentance, it is certainly an element of scriptural repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10).
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