Meditations on "Inventory"

There are many items to think about when we are compiling a daily inventory of how we are doing in life and recovery.

When we wake up from the haze of our addiction and reflect on the harm we have caused in our relationships or when we make an inventory of our character defects and deep sorrow overwhelms us because of what we have done, the question to ask ourselves is, "Am I saddened enough by the painful mess I am in to be willing to come to God and admit that I am powerless over my self-willed ways?

An important character strength to develop is tolerance, which is being patient, understanding, and accepting of something different from what we are familiar with.

When we turn our will and our life over to God’s care and trust in the new life Jesus gives us, does that mean we should never reflect on guilty feelings?

Many of us lost our true identity because we grew up in dysfunctional families and were forced to assume survival roles.

We easily object to someone judging us when they think our decisions or actions are unwise.

Steadily moving forward in recovery is not easy. As we awaken out of the haze of years in addiction our minds are often filled with memories of things done to us and things we have done to others.

Feelings cannot always be trusted. They often point us to an incorrect perception of who we are, who God is, and what is happening in our circumstances.

Those who make steady progress in recovery are those who remain focused and give careful attention each day to what works.

God created man and woman in His own image and together they lived in loving relationship with Him and with each other.

Many people who come into recovery seeking victory over drugs and alcohol find themselves relapsing into addictive lifestyles when they refuse to obey God’s teaching on sexual purity.

At many points in our recovery journey the character defect of evasiveness may begin to surface.