How to Take an Inventory of Your Life

Time heals all wounds, right? Wrong! Although many have believed this lie, nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is this: Time doesn’t change anything unless you take responsibility for your healing and recovery. One way to take responsibility for your healing is to take an inventory. Life Recovery Step Four says, “We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”

How do you take an inventory? Set aside a few hours and use a notebook or journal—like the New Life Journal. Then, follow these tips on how to make a searching and fearless moral inventory of your life.

1. List any destructive habits that you have.
   The habits you practice today will bring you closer to—or further away—from where you’d like to be tomorrow. Some destructive habits may include:
   • Cheating
   • Drinking too much
   • Isolating
   • Overeating
   • Abusing drugs
   • Watching porn
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any defects of character.
   What is character? Character is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual.” Now is not the time to try to hide; uncover the parts of your character you may feel ashamed about. A few examples of character defects include self-centeredness, jealousy, victim mentality, insecurities, blame-shifting, and more.
3. Acknowledge and work through any wrongs that you have done.
   It is easy to focus on how others have hurt you. But taking an inventory is about addressing any wrongs you have done. Keep in mind that you can’t change others; you can only change yourself. It is a painful, but necessary, part of taking an inventory. Ask God to give you strength and help you to be honest with yourself.
4. Consider the consequences of the wrong choices that you now live with.
   It may seem as if you are the only one hurt by your destructive habits or character defects. However, as you take your inventory, consider asking yourself these questions:
   • How has my behavior negatively affected others?
   • What is it really like to be in a relationship with me?
   • How would a friend or family member describe how my mistakes have hurt them?
5. Confess to God the sins that have kept you holding onto the past.
   Whatever sins come to mind, tell God about them. Does it seem like you’ve committed a sin so big that even God can’t forgive it? Remember: No sin is too big that God cannot forgive. Here’s a promise: “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.”—Isaiah 43:15, NLT
6. Allow yourself to experience any sadness, anger, and other painful emotions.
   If you hide from pain in your past, it will keep you from healing. To heal, you must begin to feel the emotions that you have buried. While taking an inventory and confessing to God whatever comes to your mind, allow your tears to fall and sadness to well up. On the other side of grief, there is joy.

Need more help with taking an inventory? We recommend you get a copy of The Life Recovery Journal. Call us at 800-NEW-LIFE to order.

by Kimberlee Bousman