Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!

Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭40

In every area of life it is common sense to take stock, to take inventory, to assess how things are really going.

And to do this truthfully.

It does no good to look at the gauge in my car, see that it is empty and continue on in faith. Without seeing the truth and taking action, at best, I’m just out of gas and at worst, I’m neglecting the truth.

It may serve us well to use the business analogy from AA’s literature. If an organization neglects to take stock—to see how it is really doing—how can its success be anything but chance? It will be unsustainable. For when difficulty arises, it will crumble.

We should think of our lives and everything they encompass in the same way. Will we leave our purpose, our soul, our relationships, our families, our fleeting existence to chance?

Or will we buckle in for the hard work of reflection? Will we grit our teeth and take a scalpel to our soul to make sure we aren’t damning ourselves?

I may never want to take inventory, but the future depends on having done so.

God, give me the restlessness I need to get busy living.