Principle 4:
Openly examine and confess my faults to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.
"Happy are the pure in heart."
Matthew 5:8a (TEV)
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 (NIV)
The Celebrate Recovery Inventory is divided into five sections. It will help you keep focused on reality and recall events that you may have repressed. Remember, you are not going through this alone. You are developing your support team to guide you, but even more important, you are growing in your relationship with Jesus Christ! It will take you more than one page to write out your inventory.
Column 1: "The Person"
In this column you list the person or object you resent or fear. Go as far back as you can. Resentment is mostly unexpressed anger and fear.
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." (Ephesians 4:31)
Column 2: "The Cause"
It has been said that "hurt people hurt people." In this column you are going to list the specific actions that someone did to hurt you. What did the person do to cause you resentment and/or fear?
"Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, TLB)
Column 3: "The Effect"
In this column write down how that specific hurtful action affected your life. List the effects it had on your past and your present.
Column 4: "The Damage"
Which of your basic instincts were injured? Social – broken relationships, slander; Security – physical safety, financial loss; Sexual – abusive relationships, damaged intimacy. No matter how you have been hurt, no matter how lost you may feel, God wants to comfort and restore you.
"I will look for those that are lost, I bring back those that wander off, bandage those that are hurt, and heal those that are sick." (Ezekiel 34:16, GND)
Column 5: "My Part"
You need to ask yourself, "What part of my resentment against another is my responsibility?"
"Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me and discover…if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way." (Psalm 139:23-24, GND)
