April 3

Step 4: We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

April 3

Scripture reading for today: 1 Peter 1 - 5
As we march through our fourth step in this month’s devotional series, I hope you’ll grab a Step 4 Study Guide – here's a copy Step 4. This is the kind of step that requires a good bit of explanation – and I’m not going to attempt that in this devotional series.
It’s my prayer that this month will raise our awareness; having acknowledged powerlessness and unmanageability, figured out that God exists, and deciding to give Him control of our lives – we’ve got some choices to make.

Fourth step works requires us to take time and examine our lives – thoroughly, honestly, and reflectively. Have you ever had to complete an inventory of your home? Take a moment and think about writing down every single thing that you have in your house. Don’t forget the junk under the kitchen sink! The attic counts! Yes, you need to write down everything in the basement too. This step is just like that – except it is an inventory of ourselves – our assets, our feelings, our decisions, our resentments and fears, our grudges and injuries, wrongs done, and problem areas…a complete package.

During our devotional time this month, I’m going to be straight up with you – I want you to be stirred in new ways to think about who you are – and who you want to become. I want you to seriously consider the possibility that a thorough inventory might be in your best interests.
Thought for today: Reading through 1 Peter reminds me that God has some strong opinions about the kind of person He wants me to become. There are some rights and wrongs – and since I’ve turned my life over to Him – I’m accepting the reality that as Creator God, I must take His perspective seriously. No more doing my own thing – I now have a higher authority that I am learning how to listen to!

Thought for tomorrow: Early in my own recovery journey, I frankly could not do an accurate step four. I lacked perspective. I was extremely self-unaware. I was defensive (and still am lots of days). I didn’t even know how to evaluate my life. What was I supposed to use as an evaluative guide? How could I list my problem areas when I wasn’t sure if the “problem” I was listing was mine or someone else’s? (Blaming is easier than taking ownership for me.) I found it helpful to ask God – over and over – “show me what you want me to see about myself.” For me, it was very helpful to regularly read scripture. It gave me a framework for self-evaluation that was very helpful (and sometimes painful.)

April 3
Teresa McBean