Christianity Oasis Forum

[goldieluvs]

I have been struggling with some issues lately, a good friend here recently reminded me i was being robbed of my joy because I had taken my focus off of Him and was focusing on my own stuff. It got me to thinking. This is accountability forum as well as Body Temple forum. This can take many forms, not just exercise or bad habits as i had originally thought (I have to admit here lion was thinking broader than i was) as we discussed putting the forums together. I think an important component gets lost. What about being accountable for the positive things in life? No one ever mentions those until we lose sight of them.I mean yeah we are grateful and praising God, but shouldn't we be like that regardless of our circumstances? But its not until we lose sight of that. Then we cry out asking for help. I understand this as it is human nature. And I am all too guilty of that myself. It just got me to thinking and i was curious, so i am bringing it to ya'll. How do we become more like Paul and learn to be content regardless of the circumstances? In other words, it's not about hanging on through the storms but learning how to dance in the rain! I think this also has a need for accountability. We grow by reading Gods Word, prayer and fellowship and being honest with each other and getting advice as needed. So, our growth is where we need to be accountable most? maybe? Accountability is a scary word sometimes. After all, who wants to be accountable all the time? Fear of failure, not measuring up to others expectations, all sorts of stuff gets in the way. Which brings me to this post. I am curious what ya'll think. Please feel free to post any thoughts on this.

[comfy]

I have made a point of telling all to people, in order to show how open and honest I am. But I would not be relating with the person. I'd be just going through a list, you might say, not really being prayerful and discovering the person and our relationship. Accountability can be a "works" sort of thing . . . of going through the actions and supposing this means we are in God's will and trusting each other and depending on each other as our brothers and sisters.

But if you trust each other, I don't now find that this means you have to constantly tell each other every detail about how you have been wrong and have problems and if and how you are dealing with this. But first be sensitive to God in His peace. And see when it is appropriate with each person to bring up things. I think ones in my church could be doing a self-exposing thing, in order to get me to copy them by telling them all my personal stuff. Honesty is NOT just telling all the things that are true, but honesty has to do with being submissive to God and seeing what really He has us doing and saying, with each person. *Discover* with each person what is for that unique person, at that time, rather than starting some set way of doing things and imposing this on how we relate.

Now, we do have James 5:16 > "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." There are people who understand this means that if you need healing of a medical problem, then confess your sins to someone who can pray for you to get "healed" of that physical problem.

I offer > here, we are talking about how we can become healed of whatever in us makes us able to sin and then suffer in that spirit (Ephesians 2:2) witch got the better of us to have us sin and then suffer emotionally. We can get CURED in our *character* so we are less and less available to Satan's spirit messing with us. We get healed together with God in His love, and together with one another who are in the Body of Jesus. So, the healing is NOT only to our own selves. We, then, are not trying just to do a "self-help" thing.

But first prayer . . . of being quiet with God, I'd say. I notice how the "Our Father" starts with our Heavenly Father . . . attention to *Him* first. The attention does not begin with "our sins", but with "Our Father". And then, in His love, we get encouraged so we are positive for dealing with our daily needs and sin problems and getting delivered from problems of this evil world.

So, like this, I would say . . . first be enjoying one another, getting the good things, being encouraged. Then deal with the problems.