The Power of Accountability
I went to the gym today at 6 am for the first time in years.
I didn’t want to go; I was hungry, tired and cozy in my bed at 5:45 am when the alarm went off. But I had promised two lovely people that I would be there and I did not want to disappoint them. So I got dressed in the dark, tip-toed past the two boys’ rooms, and got in the car wondering, “Why did I sign up for this?”
I got stuck behind the rubbish truck all the way down the street, so I had a few more minutes to reflect. “I’ll be glad I did it afterwards,” I told myself. “It’s a good way to start the morning,” I reasoned. “I paid a lot of money for the membership,” I reminded myself.
By the time the workout started, I was feeling more optimistic. In the middle, I wanted to give up (and cancel my membership). In the end, the three of us were exhausted but pleased with our first morning workout session together.
A passage from Ecclesiastes came to mind:
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Accountability is a word we don’t like very much; we like freedom and independence. We don’t like the idea of burdening someone nor depending on anybody.
But the truth is, we need each other to stand strong. Not only for the times when we need emotional support, but for the times when we need to stand up for something or someone. When truth is swept under, when the vulnerable need our voices, and when our conscience demands it but our courage is weak, we need accountability to push us to do right.
So pray for an accountability partner who is willing to ask you hard questions. Find someone with whom you can be honest and vulnerable. As you share and grow together, you may find that your friendship becomes a bond that “is not quickly broken” – a blessing for a lifetime.
by: Jinha Kim
"But those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14