Does your walk as a Christian match your talk? Are your actions the same at recovery meetings, church, home and work?
Principle 4: Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.
“Happy are the pure in heart.” – Matthew 5:8
Step 4: We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.” – Lamentations 3:40
The following list gives some of our shortcomings (sins) that can prevent God from working effectively in our lives. Reading through it and searching your heart will help you get started on you inventory!
Relationship with others
“Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. Don’t bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.” (Matthew 6:12-13, TLB)
- Who has hurt you?
- Against whom have you been holding a grudge?
- Against whom are you seeking revenge?
- Are you jealous of someone else?
Priorities in life
“He will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.” (Matthew 6:33, TLB)
- After accepting Jesus Christ, in what areas of your life are you still not putting God first?
- What in your past is interfering with you doing God’s will? Your ambition? Pleasures? Job? Hobbies? Money? Friendships? Personal goals?
Attitude
“Get rid of all bitterness, passion and anger. No more shouting or insults. No more hateful feelings of any sort.” – Ephesians 4:31
- Have you always complained about your circumstances?
- In what areas of your life are you ungrateful?
- Have you gotten angry and easily blown up at people?
- Have you been sarcastic?
- What in your past is causing you fear or anxiety?
Integrity
“Do not lie to each other. You have left your old sinful life and the things you did before.” – Colossians 3:9, NCV
- In what past dealing were you dishonest?
- Have you stolen things?
- Have you exaggerated to make yourself look better?
- In what areas of your past have you used false humility?
- Have you lived one way in front of your Christian friends and another way at home or at work?
“Come, let’s talk this over! says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen sow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!” – Isaiah 1:18, TLB