The importance of accountability [Part 2]

What's the point of accountability? I don't want someone else all in my business, judging me, claiming to pray for me, and not sharing information with me that isn't as personal as the info I share.  Maybe I can just get by in my relationship with God by just having Him hold my deep, dark secrets and hoping that during my times of fasting and prayer, He will just make me better.  I don't really need community anyway since this walk with God is a "personal relationship"? Right...?

I'm sure you're just WAITING to read about what happened in that accountability sphere!  Don't be anxious! Be anxious for nothing...Philippians 4:6...ha-ha-ha...


Let's start by looking at some Scripture used to support accountability:

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
james 5:16 nasb
     The above Scrip seems to be a biggie when you hear about accountability in the Church.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
colossians 3:16 niv

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 thessalonians 5:11 niv

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
galatians 6:1-2 esv

(For more, I scooped the above from Christian Accountability and Jolly Notes).

So back to the story...
Sasha was a pretty busy girl (ok, I was busy, too) so we decided to check up on each other via e-mail instead of telephone calls or meeting face-to-face.  This actually worked really well for us and allowed us to be "more of ourselves" since we didn't have to see each other. 

We started out sharing prayer requests and she let me in on this potential relationship with one of our brothers in Christ.  And I let her in on a crush I had on one of my guy friends who was not a believer...I needed her to be praying for me to help me get over it!

So, we prayed for each other and checked on each other's progress through weekly e-mails.  Even though we could have met up, e-mails worked.

As our relationship progressed, we started sharing more and more personal things and praying for each other more and more.  She has held me accountable to certain things by asking probing questions and following up with me.  We used accountability questions to help us search deep down and see what areas we needed to work on.  We have fasted and prayed for one another. We even started talking on the phone!

Over the last (nearly!) 2 years, she has really borne with me.  From Galatians 6:2 about bearing...yeah...she do dat! 

She has become one of my closest confidante and someone that I am blessed to have in my life.  I thank God for her.  Even though we now live miles apart, I will continue to bear with her, pray for her, and also hold her accountable to God's standards as we continue to walk this Christianity out together on the road Home.

So, what's the point of accountability?  Galatians 6:2 answers that again...to fulfill the law of Christ.  It is so important as you "walk the walk" by having someone to get down in the trenches with you, point you to Christ, love on you, rebuke you when necessary, and encourage you.