Add Some Accountability
If you want to get serious about following Jesus and working hard on your spiritual disciplines, you shouldn't neglect coming alongside others who can support you on that quest.
If you're planning on seriously going deep in your relationship with God and training yourself for godliness (see 1 Tim. 4:7), you're going to need all the help you can get. The modern monastic life can be full of hard, grace-filled work. Although it can be tough and intense at times, it's an incredibly satisfying feeling to work hard on your spiritual life. I wouldn't trade it for anything else. But because of the challenging nature of the work, anything that can help make that journey towards Christ-likeness smoother is welcomed. One of the things that the Lord Jesus Christ gave us to help in our spiritual work is each other. Jesus established the church (see Matt. 16:18). Believers in Jesus (which is what the church is made up of) journey together to live lives that are ultimately pleasing to God here on earth. We help each other on the quest to become godly and Christ-like. Forming the church was a genius idea that came from our Lord and Savior so that His disciples could help each other.
If you want to get serious about following Jesus and working hard on your spiritual disciplines, you shouldn't neglect coming alongside others who can support you on that quest. Take advantage of the help that others provide (especially stronger, mature Christians) and the accountability that's present to keep pushing forward in your spiritual growth. It's like going to the gym with an exercise partner. Although you can go to the gym alone, going with somebody else provides benefits that you could really take advantage of. Your gym partner can motivate you to go further and help you out when you falter. They can also keep you accountable to being consistent with showing up at the gym and working out. If you're left on your own, you might just end up skipping your workouts altogether. Having a gym partner is something you can take advantage of to help you meet your physical goals.
Every couple of weeks, I meet with a group of men who've decided to keep each other accountable with our spiritual development. We let each other know what areas of our spiritual lives we're working on. We pray for one another. We check up on each others' progress. We hold each other accountable to what we said we would do. I've found the accountability group to be a helpful strategy to keep pushing myself deeper in my walk with Christ. If I know that my brothers in Christ are going to hold me accountable to what I've committed to do, then I'm going to be more motivated to actually get it done. And I've been able to establish some helpful habits and practices in my spiritual life because of the group that I'm a part of and the accountability they provide.
Although you can try going at it alone, you'd be missing out on something that can give you a big boost to growing your spiritual life if you journey with others. Additionally, you'll be helping others too on their quest towards Christ-likeness. Being part of an accountability group is a win-win situation for everybody involved.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
