I’ve written about accountability before, but it’s been such an important topic in my life that I want to do so again:
Whether it’s breaking bad habits, starting new ones, or pursuing a lofty goal, accountability is vital for success. Having an individual or a small group to make sure you do what you say you’re going to do has proved more important than I originally thought.
There are some important considerations here:
the person or people that you share things with must be trustworthy and confidential. This could be a close friend, a small church group, a therapist, or family member. This is especially important when breaking bad habits or addictions, because oftentimes they can feel unnerving and uncomfortable to talk about.
If you want accountability for pursuing a new habit or goal, then it would be beneficial to make it actionable, clear, and known to your accountability individual or group. Making it known is especially important, because there is something about the human mind that never wants to let others down.
I want to take the rest of the time to focus on the breaking bad habits part of this conversation. I feel as though it would be the most valuable and personal to me.
The most important concept I am starting to understand more and more is that I am a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
This means that when you become a believer, you are no longer your old self. The Bible tells us that the old self has been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us. How powerful is that!
Having this perspective made me understand the fact that I need to let God change the desires of my heart. Since we still live in a fallen world, sin is still present. However, by letting God transform the desires of my heart from the inside out, I’m able to not just break bad habits, but transform them into God-glorifying ones.
As with any bad habit or addiction, it won’t be easy to break. It becomes so ingrained in our brains that it can feel like you're stuck in the cycle forever. However, with the power of the Holy Spirit, you can get out of it.
I believe in you!
Keep making progress. Change for the better. Live the Heming-way.
God bless,
Trevor