Going to church is good, but it will never be enough. Meeting with prayer group during Thursdays is good, but it will never suffice. Having a personal discipleship group is good, but it will never fully give what we need. What we need to grow in our walk with the Lord is a life of walking with Him.
We need to have a daily discipline of spending time alone with the Lord for worship, prayer, and Bible study.
Walk with Him
The Bible says that the fellowship of believers is a good thing. In fact, Hebrews 10:25 says, "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." Yes, we should meet with one another often to pray for and encourage one another.
However, what matters is not the number of fellowships we've joined over our whole life after meeting Christ, repenting of our sins and submitting to His Lordship. What matters is our personal walk with Him.
Romans 14:12 says that "each of us will give a personal account to God." This simply means that God will ask us about our personal lives. We won't face Him as a congregation or as a discipleship group and give an account as a whole. Rather, we will face Him one by one when the time comes.
Do I know you?
This truth is even made more serious by what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"
Friend, you could be very active in church, in ministry, in prayer group, in accountability group, in men's or women's group, but still miss it. Jesus said in verse 3, "I never knew you." Do you have a personal relationship with God, with Him as God, Lord, King, Saviour, Master and Father; and with you as His child, subject, follower and servant? Are you seeking Him, knowing and doing His will, even by yourself?
By yourself
This is why church, or any church activity, will not suffice. You need to cultivate a growing relationship with God wherein you will delight only in Him, grow to be like Christ in obedience and character, and be totally submitted to God's grace. You can do this first by having your personal time with Him daily.
And you can only do this by yourself, not with others.
