everybody find a study buddy

i was reading an article this morning and there was a line in it that caused me to pause. the line wasn't earth shattering or revolutionizing but it was a great reminder of some Biblical truth. here's the line:

Christianity is a team sport, not an individual event - on any given day, every Christian needs help and every Christian has some help to give. We have all failed as solo disciples for a very simple reason: Jesus doesn't have any solo disciples. Nate Larkin

last week was an interesting week. i wrestled with the same tension that the apostle paul spoke about in Romans 7:14-25

14We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

have you ever been there? you find yourself doing things, thinking things, saying things that you know are wrong....yet do them, think them, say them anyway? i realize nate larkin's line wasn't pulled straight from scripture but the overall thought certainly finds credibility in the scripture. we tend to fall more frequently when we walk alone.

somewhere along the way christians have been duped into believing perfection is rewarded. if we will just hide our hurts and our failures then people won't know....and we will be perceived as flawless illustrations of God's ______________. i'm tempted to put grace in the blank but if there are no struggles/failures/issues then there really is no need for grace.

i'm in no way suggesting we sin so that grace might increase (paul had something to say about that as well). as i wrestle through these thoughts, albeit scattered thoughts, i know we need other believers to do more than simply correct and rebuke. the church has gotten very good at those 2 things. i think what the church needs to develop is a spirit of accountability among its people. a spirit of community.