I just got off the phone with my old youth pastor, who has kept me accountable since I was 17 and in high school.
I never really knew what accountability was until I had it.
Many times this is the case, we never know till we experience it.
A few things recently that I have tried to someone else but I do not do it justice: all night halo parties, Friday night football, running through the mall to buy a new iPhone, riding the worlds highest and fastest roller coaster, my mom’s chicken Parmesan, a Justice concert (my fav music right now), and how hot it was in Vegas (110 degrees) when I visited….
If you do not have accountability that is weekly. It is time to get it. You cannot do it alone. You can try it alone. I have and I couldn’t stop my patterns and habits. Doing it alone is pretty boring and unsuccessful in the long run.
You need someone in your life who you can trust that is going to ask tough questions and be there for you. Some tips:
1) Pray for accountability.
If you do not have someone asking you tough questions about porn and where you do online, ask God to show you someone who can be there for you. If you do have accountability in your life pray for God to direct you both…
2) Do not slack.
Be consistent. All too often we make these promises to God and others. Like, “man, every week we are going to get together keep each other accountable but then we never follow through.
3) Be courageous
So many times I talk to dudes who basically say, “my youth pastor keeps me accountable but i do not tell him everything.” Own up and be courageous, it is way hard and it sucks to tell the truth sometimes….but you have to.
4) Find the right person
I know for me I had a couple friends I was accountable to in high school which was good because they were my age, knew me real well and were great support. At the same time the accountability with my youth pastor was deeper. Someone who is older and wiser helps because they a different perspective than you do. Maybe find one person who is older and wiser to keep accountable, and find some buddies for support.
5) Laugh
Shawn my old youth pastor makes me laugh every time we talk and he asks me tough questions. Why so serious? right….I mean really, laugh a little, if you want more proof there is a bible verse about it…I will quote in the King James Version for those you rep KJV for life….
“There’s a time to laugh, and a time to cry.” Ecclesiastes 3:4
“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Proverbs 17:22
Bonus >>> In honor of the KJV. Baby Got Book Video