In recent days I have shared about the power of routines/disciplines/habits. In many cases, routines are helpful (even if some might think them boring). Routines are simply tools that we employ to make sure that we accomplish those tasks most important to us.
Routines answer the question of “should I” when the drive to do so is waning. Should I go to the gym today? Should I eat that? Should I sleep through my alarm? Should I read my Bible today? Should I go to church today? In these cases, the routine itself functions as a form of accountability. However, this alone is insufficient for most of us, particularly when we find ourselves in times of stress.
I promised a couple of days ago to share one of the most effective tools for finishing. If you really want to lose that ten pounds, run that half-marathon, or grow spiritually you truly need this tool. It can be embraced in a number of creative ways but without it…your chance of success drops by more than half. That tool is accountability.
We all resist accountability on some level. In fact, some people refuse to make a “new year’s resolution” because just writing it down provides some level of accountability. Instead, they just want to follow their feelings. Friend, my feelings lead me to raid the pantry at about 9 pm every night. My feelings order dessert. My feelings lead me to skip over the “Table of Nations” reading in Genesis or the genealogies in the Gospels. Feelings are terrible accountability partners.
Here’s a thought: If you are really going to grow spiritually this year, why not link up with 3-4 other men/women (I think gender-exclusive arrangements work best due to the way the Holy Spirit does His sanctifying work in our lives and because the similarities in thought processes among men and among women are pretty well established) and do it together? What we are talking about here is an agreement for 4-5 people to meet for 45 minutes to an hour a week, at a coffee shop, sandwich place, living room, dark alley (OK…maybe skip the dark alley) with an agenda of making sure everyone is staying true to the course?
If meeting together is tough due to schedules or geographic dispersion…FaceTime or group chats are good alternatives. One friend I know has set up a private Facebook Group with daily check-ins. While I think an in-person meeting is probably best, any of these alternatives are better than trying to hold yourself accountable to doing it alone.
Where do I find 3-4 others? I’d suggest asking 4 guys in your small group (Connect Group) or that you know from another context who are: (1) of like faith, (2) are reliable, and (3) have the same objective. In my experience, many guys/gals are hungry for this kind of accountability and connection; however, they are a little timid about the first step. Why not make it easy for them and you take the initiative?
If you have other ideas on accountable partnerships like these I have described, I’d love to hear them. I’ll share more in the next post on how some of these groups have worked best for others. If you want to explore this further offline, just hit me up and we can chat.
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