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Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.   Proverbs 27:17

There is a underlying thought that as men we should be able to make it on our own. The only excuse would be if we have to move, tear down an engine, or do some serious remodeling on our homes. Even then, the call for help is if we just cannot get it done by when the deadline gets close. Most times when guys get together it is for anything but help, maybe a superficial “yea, my wife and kids”, “the job and the boss”, more of a complaining statement than a true reaching out for some help.

Unfortunately, this attitude often gets carried over into our spiritual lives and that breeds sin, apathy, laziness, and indifference to all around us and in our own lives. I have found in my own life that when I refuse to open up in honest, real accountability, it is so easy to hide in my sin. It is like a sickness that if you don’t truly see it, then it must not be really hurting you. It is so easy to make excuses for  lack of admitting the need for help.  It  might be experiences in our past that  bring feelings of anger, self-pity, shame, bitterness, or a situation we might be in that we feel like we could be judged, ostracized, or condemned. Nevertheless to stay silent or believe that we can pull/”will” ourselves out of an addiction, struggle, or self-destructive cycle is exactly what our enemy desires for us. During various seasons of my life the times when it seemed to live Christ-like was actually possible was when I gave up on my own strength, good intentions, the lie that I could handle it. It takes swallowing my pride, confessing my sin, getting out of the darkness of isolation, finding other guys that are truly seeking to live Christ-like that are aware of their need for strength greater than their own. The times that I have gotten lazy in staying accountable or reaching out only brings me back to hiding in the shadows pretending that on one knows, enslaving myself to chains of whatever self-destructive addiction is owning me at that moment.

This last month I have been able to hang out with a few buddies that as husbands and fathers are seeking to be leaders, role-models, & examples  instilling  in their families Christ-like values. It has encouraged me to take my own relationship with Christ to a level where I would be open to godly counsel and accountability. It is not always easy to find other men that are striving for the same goals but they are out there. I think about Elijah, how he felt alone, abandoned, like he was the only one trying to stand for God in the face of persecution. Yet God revealed to him that there were many others who had compromised or sold out. We live in a modern age where there are so many avenues to stay in touch, community, and relationships with others. We as men know how to excuse ourselves out of what is inconvenient by often blaming lack of time on our job, family, or obligations. In the end though, all we do is take ourselves out of what we truly need. My prayer is that we would find those around us whether the same age, older or even younger to join them in honest, Christ-centered, grace-filled friendship in our journey.

II Timothy 2:3, Hebrews 10:24