Accountability; what a 14 letter word!
But what does it mean?

"Accountability is the state of being accountable, liable, or answerable"

So why do I think OUCH when I think of accountability?

Because for true accountability to take place, there has to be a serious level of transparency, and for many that is a hard place to be. YET, there is so much power in it.

I remember before I got married and I had finally decided to obey God's mandates as it related to abstinence until marriage; one of the first things I did was find accountability partners.

People that I could trust and confide in that would not just pray for or with me but people that would help keep me in check. You know, people that would call after my date with tall, dark and handsome, just to make sure I was home...in my bed...by myself.

There were MANY of days I wanted to dodge my accountability partners or to tell them to leave me alone because I was a grown woman and could make my own decisions, but God sent them into my life to help me get off that fence of sexual immorality.

I needed that support system even if I didn't always want it! We all need support systems because it's not always easy to keep our commitments to living a life pleasing unto God.

Just make sure you are walking with someone that will help you in your commitments (whatever they are) and not people that will encourage you to go against God's word.

Proverbs 13:30 says "He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed."

Find yourself an accountability partner, but make sure you use wisdom; don't have a fool holding you accountable! And once you find that person, be open, transparent and totally honest and watch how God will use them to make you a better person!

Founder and president of The Master Plan, Tanya James is the author of From Promiscuity to Proverbs 31: Getting Off the Fence of Sexual Immorality. For more information about Tanya, log onto www.armedanddangerous.biz. *Tanya James is a 2009 StreamingFaith.com Guest Columnist.

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