Hammer on Anvil '

Tell me if you've heard this one: "I have my own beliefs about God," or: "I like to worship in my own way." What about: "I just haven't found a church that's right for me." I'll confess-I've used these excuses in my lifetime...to avoid living in community with other believers. Why can't I worship on my own terms, at my own time? What's so special about Sunday morning anyway? I'm not really that good with people; and church people always want to TALK to you.


Last week, God in His patience reminded me again why it is important to live in community. A good friend of mine requested a meeting with me--no details, just "Can we meet?" Of course, my mind rushes to conclusions: "Did I say something in a not-so-private place that was overheard and taken out of context?"; "Have I offended someone in some way?". I tried to squash those shouts in my head as I drove to my friend's home. Turns out, this was a God appointment. Something that had been nagging in the back of my mind for weeks was nagging in my friend's mind as well, and God spoke to her directly about it the morning of our meeting. It was in regard to a sin; one that we were both engaged in.

Often when someone says the word 'accountability', we hear the word 'confrontation'. After all, having an 'accountability partner' is all about keeping our behavior in check, right? So many of us avoid this particular relationship simply because we don't like friction; or, more accurately, we don't like being told we've messed up.

God's Word is instructions for our lives. In John 1, He tells us, "In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him , nothing came into being that has come into being." vv 1 & 3. This is God--living in community. The Holy Trinity is the perfect example of how we should view our relationships.

Rather than being an argumentative and confrontational experience, my accountability meeting was shockingly encouraging, peaceful and liberating. I was able to realize I didn't have to hold a grudge against myself for falling into this sin, and I believe I was able to alleviate some of that same guilt from my friend's shoulders. More importantly, we were able to put our heads together and formulate a plan of repentance and learning from our mistakes.

God's grace is immeasurable; but it is also dynamic. It comes at us not just from above, but also from next to us. If we refuse to live in community, we miss out on so much of the grace, mercy, love and encouragement God wants to give us through the believers He wants us to walk beside.

Hebrews 10: 24-25 "Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.