Day 5 of 21-Day Challenge: Accountability

I’m going to pick up my 21-day challenge with accountability. Who are you accountable to? Do you have a Girlfriend in GOD  that you can go to and request her to stand in the gap for you? Have you ever thought of asking someone to help you with the areas of your faith or life that you struggle with? GOD created us to lean on HIM, yet HE also created us to need one another. Although my husband is my best friend, I still need girlfriends (sisters in faith) that can relate to our struggles and issues, but most importantly that we can encourage each other in our walk with GOD and have some accountability with.

I was on fire, I was doing so great with my 21-day challenge (well at least I thought I was), but out of the blue I was given the opportunity to go spend time away with my husband while he was at training in the states. It was wonderful since he was only going to be in country for 3 weeks and already had been gone for 3 months! I was encouraged by my mentors in my church, when they assured me that it’s okay to take time off from my blog, my FB page and my volunteer work at my church when my husband is home.

Unfortunately, I let that lack of accountability go a bit overboard during that time; I didn’t read my Bible or say my prayers during that time (I usually spend about an hour a day praying for others and reading my Bible and devotions). I learned this Sunday that the reasons for my behavior was rooted in fear.  I was afraid I was disappointing GOD, and ended up letting the enemy whisper his lies to me, I felt shame and guilt, so I avoided GOD, instead of repenting and seeking forgiveness.  I know I’m happiest when I’m close to GOD and following HIS will, so why did I allow myself to listen to those lies, was it the lack of accountability? If I had a girlfriend in God that I could be honest enough with and say, "I haven't been praying or reading my Bible, I feel terrible, I want to, but I keep coming up with excuses" maybe if I had someone to nudge me and say, "I know your hubby is home for a short time, but what if you just take 30 mins a day for GOD instead of your usual time...". In the end, the blame is all mine, but it's something that has been a burden to me and now that I'm getting back into my routine again, I needed to share this, to keep myself accountable and to hopefully encourage you if you've ever 'fallen off the wagon' before or if you ever do in the future. I’m comforted knowing that God never left me and because I have a repentant heart and spirit, I’m just as much a beloved child of GOD today as I was before. I also know that GOD teaches us, even when we don’t see a teachable moment or event in our life, GOD can use any circumstance to build up ourselves and others.