Cleaning Out Cages

Over the last 6 weeks we've set out on a mission to expose the "elephants" in the church - these issues that are on our minds and are affecting our walk and our relationships, but we don't want to talk about. We had to hunt them down, drag them out into the open, and expose them for what they really are. We talked about legalism, authenticity, transparency & hypocrisy, consumerism, sexual purity & sin, gossip and apathy. To many (including myself) it sort of felt like a prolonged punch to the face. Glad that's over!

So where do we stand now? Hopefully we're cleaning out the cages where our elephants use to live. In all fairness, they've taken up too much of our time and energy and we've been cleaning up the mess they leave behind for far too long. All that being said, have you honestly said goodbye and good riddance? Or are you just cleaning out the cage and getting it ready for the next elephant to come and make himself at home in the middle of your heart? There's one way to know.

ACCOUNTABILITY. Have you found it yet? Have you finally reached the place where you've demanded of yourself that you not go another day without finding that someone (or someone's) who can speak truth into your life and with whom you can confide and confess your sins and struggles? Have you finally decided to quit playing church? Has God convicted you or challenge you over these last weeks about something in your life that needs to change? If yes, fantastic. But have you shared that with anyone? ANYONE?

Let's just be clear about this: if you're still limping through life and telling yourself, "I'm fine. I don't need your accountability"...you may think you've shown these elephants the back door...but they'll be back. And when they come back they'll be bigger, fatter, louder and nastier than ever before. Until you demand accountability of yourself - THAT is your elephant. ACCOUNTABILITY is your elephant. It's the thing you know you need to do and somehow keep refusing, putting off, and excusing away. The ignorant and outright LACK of accountability between the people of God is the elephant of all elephants in the church. And until it truly goes away, we're just cleaning out those cages for nothing!

James 5:16

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Galatians 6:1-3

Proverbs 27:17