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 | | The Gift of Being Yourself: The Sacred Call to Self-Discovery by David G. Benner ISBN-10: 9780830832453 ISBN-10: 0-8308-3245-9 ISBN-13: 9780830832453 ISBN-13: 978-0-8308-3245-3 Paperback 2004-02 InterVarsity Press Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description About the Book Recipient of the Award of Merit in the Personal Growth/Individual Category of The Word Guild 2005 Canadian Christian Writing Awards! A Formatio book. "Grant, Lord, that I may know myself that I may know thee." Augustine Much is said in Christian circles about knowing God. But Christians throughout the ages have agreed that there cannot be deep knowledge of God without deep knowledge of the self. Discerning your true self is inextricably related to discerning God's purposes for you. Paradoxically, the more you become like Christ, the more you become authentically yourself. In this profound exploration of Christian identity, psychologist and spiritual director David G. Benner illuminates the spirituality of self-discovery. He exposes the false selves that you may hide behind and calls you to discover the true self that emerges from your uniqueness in Christ. Freeing you from illusions about yourself, Benner shows that self-understanding leads to the fulfillment of your God-given destiny and vocation. "Christian spirituality," writes Benner, "involves a transformation of the self that occurs only when God and self are both deeply known." The self is not God, but it is the place where you meet God. Genuine self-knowledge revitalizes your spiritual life and opens the door to becoming who God has created you to be. Rest assured, you need not try to be someone you are not. But you will deepen your experience of God through discovering the gift of being yourself. | ||
Reviews | ||
The title is a bit weak but the book is profound!!! While this book is relatively thin, don't let the size deceive you! You will want to read this one several times (with a journal in hand). Written by a Christian psychologist it goes deeper than the first glance. Highly recommended especially for anyone who is struggling with their identity in Christ or more importantly, anyone who thinks they've already got that "wired." | ||
Terrible book - Avoid at all costs I gave this book only one star because this system would not let me give it zero stars. I read the book "The Gift of Being Yourself" by David Brenner because it was part of a reading list for a class at my church. The book struck sour notes with me right from the beginning for its indiscriminate use of language that led me to question whether the author was writing a spiritually-themed book at all. The elements of universalism echo throughout the book. The author relies heavily on writings by Thomas Merton and other openly promotes the teachings of Merton and is actually focused more on the results of mystical and panenthestic practices than on the Scripture. What I found most disturbing is the apparently deliberate attempts to deny the existence of objective truth. "Truth" is discussed in the book as a fluid, subjective concept that has no real meaning. The idea that a person's experience defines truth ignores the Scriptural principles that state, for example, "Jesus said, 'I am the way, the TRUTH and the life; no man comes to the Father but by Me'" and "These things are written that you may KNOW...." The book is a deliberate attack on truth. Benner also recommends the use of an enneagram to help the reader identify sin in his or her life as a method of becoming close to God, instead of urging readers to search the Scriptures to let the Holy Spirit reveal sin. He suggests visual imagery as a way of feeling closer to Jesus - even suggesting that the reader imagine walking with Jesus and "watching" as Jesus engages various people in conversations. There is no mention of how to figure out what Jesus looks like and the implication is that the reader is free to imagine Jesus in whatever way suits him or her. I think this is a highly seductive and dangerous book that actively seeks to lead people away from the truth of of the saving knowledge of Christ as revealed in God's word. Don't get sucked in. | ||
Gift of Being Yourself a real gift A copy of this book literally fell of a library shelf a year or so ago and ever since then I've been such a fan that I've recommended it to nearly everyone I know. We are currently using the book in an adult study to rave reviews. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to go deeper, not in their knowledge ABOUT God, but in their KNOWING of God. | ||
Short but sweet... This is a short book, but needs to be read slowly to digest all the points Benner makes about going on this inner journey. He talks about the contemplative life the Desert Fathers might have sought after, but puts it in modern terms. Daydreaming on a gospel story, reflecting on your day to find where God was, embracing all of who we are because God does are all salient points and exercises that lead one to accepting the gift of being yourself. The book goes against our present church culture of producing for God and reminds us that God already loves us and wants us to slow down and spend time with Him. | ||
Thought-provoking I found Benner to be a man of spiritual depth who has walked with God long enough to grasp more deeply than most the level of acceptance and grace He offers. It's an easy read but full of challenging thoughts and personal exercises to deepen one's own experience of God's unchanging grace. | ||