By Bill A. Gaspard, Life Recovery Coach
“A man of many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24
Do you have one, a friend who sticks closer than a brother, an accountability partner? It’s very important to have someone in our life that will guide us back on the track, someone that will hold the rudder straight for us when needed. Someone that will guide us back to the truth. We need each other in recovery, we can’t go it alone. Paul spoke of this principle in Ephesians 4:25, “So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all apart of the same body.”
Jude, the half brother of Jesus also wrote about accountability, “Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sin that contaminates their lives.” Jude 1:22-23.
The recovery process will be as healthy as the health of our accountability partners, surround yourself with healthy coaches and you will be healthy. Let the Word of God also be your accountability partner. Let David’s stories and Psalms be a testimony of God’s love even when we don’t deserve it. How his repentant heart changed him and how he talked with God is a great example of how we should communicate. Let Solomon be one of your recovery coaches. Let the relationship between Paul and Timothy who are a great example of what coming alongside someone through faith, trust and perseverance looks like. This kind of partnership takes two people on a journey and if God is the third strand it will be very difficult to break this bond.
“The effective mentor strives to help a man or woman discover what they can be in Christ and then holds them accountable to become that person.” - Howard Hendricks
We will never make the progress needed without accountability partners. Going it alone is risky. Get a recovery coach, get a mentor, and find an accountability partner. I have had very few people in my life that I have allowed to do this in my life but I have gotten better at it. When I first got sober I tried to do it on my own, then I had an old timer with almost thirty years of sobriety help get me through my inventory and 5th step. I had another guy help me with my amends. I had someone else from my small group mentor me on Christian leadership. And of course the small group itself is designed for this concept as well. When you share your junk with other people and share your struggles and praises with them something starts to happen. You start to TRUST another human being.
If you don’t have someone in your life that you allow to hold you accountable I encourage you to get one. I have a couple helpful questions you can ask yourself and God to show you.
1. What do I need to work on in my life?
2. Is there anyone who I respect enough to ask to be my accountability partner?
3. Is there anything holding me back from starting an accountability relationship today?
4. God, give me the wisdom to know what I need to be held accountable for in my life, and give me the courage to invite _____________ into my life to come alongside of me and hold me accountable to your standards.
About the author: Bill A. Gaspard is a Certified Christian Life Coach and Biblical Counselor, dedicated to helping God RECOVER His children through relapse prevention coaching. He is the founder of Christian Recovery Coaching- http://christianrecoverycoaching.com/
Recovery Coaching is one of the most effective ways to prevent relapse and get results in your life. A Christian Life Recovery Coach will come along side you to help you find your purpose and passion in life. We partner with our clients to unlock their God given talents and motivate them towards Christian leadership.
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