Healthy relationships thrive when personal accountability and trust are present as each partner is working to be the best version of themselves. But sometimes selfish desires blind us to the making wise responsible choices leading to a fracture in vulnerability and intimacy. In come feelings of betrayal, isolation and fear in place of trust and security.
When this happens, the knee-jerk reaction may to deem the new role of “accountability partner” to the hurt spouse. While the hurt spouse should be involved in creating boundaries and expectation for restoring trust, he/she should not be the first line of defense as there is fresh pain and trauma. It is therefore prudent for the faulted spouse to gain outside accountability while rebuilding the relationship. A good accountability partner would be someone who can relate, empathize and be non-judgmental. He/she must also be someone who can gently confront and comfort when temptation inevitably rears its ugly head. Regularly meeting and setting goals for healthy thinking and behavior will help barricade the slippery slope of returning to self satisfying behaviors at the expense of your relationship.
Even if trust and personal accountability are currently strong in your relationship, you may consider seeking out an accountability partner as a preventive measure to avoid potential blind spots or temptations. “It is strong to admit weakness,” “The best offense is a good defense,” and “Pride comes before the fall” are all truthful reminders to safeguard the most important relationship you have.
