Taking Inventory of Our Lives

Your life may look full and in synch with God, but only when you put all of it on the table and take a closer look can you see what is missing. Taking inventory from time-to-time is a good thing. It can also be very revealing and at times, painful. Taking inventory will keep us free from assumption and help us make sure our emotional and spiritual stock is up to date.

Yesterday, I was in our garage taking an inventory of our available books in preparation for a busy season ahead. I placed the books in individual stacks on a long folding table. We needed to make sure we had enough inventory to cover each location and to see if we might need to order more books.

As I packed and labeled boxes for the various locations on our calendar, I realized I needed to order more of certain books or we would be short. When the packing was finally done, and new books were ordered, I did not realize later that night, Jan and I would need to inventory our life and marriage.

After 44 years of marriage, like any relationship, you can assume certain things. I had made an assumption about something and the Lord needed to correct my attitude in that area of our marriage. We had a long, and at times, painful conversation. The longer we talked, the more I came to realize there was an area in our relationship where I could do a much better job as a husband and friend. At the start of our relational inventory, I thought I had enough “books” on the table of our relationship. As I began to stack things on the table during our conversation, I realized I was short in one area.

We talked it out. I asked for forgiveness from Jan, and the Lord and put in an order for more of God and less of me. Our table was then filled with the inventory of hope and love that any relationship needs to remain healthy over the long run.                                                               

I write all of this to invite you to do an inventory check in your most intimate relationships. It would have been easy for me to assume I had enough books in all the boxes visible in our garage, but until they were unpacked and counted, I was not aware of any lack. The same is true in each of our relationships. Put all your relational inventory on the table and take an honest look. God may show you an area where your spiritual inventory is low. If you find an area of lack, ask God for help. He can express ship the solution to you in a moment of time if you are willing to receive its contents. Life always works better when our relational inventory is on the table and up to date.