This year, Andy Stanly decided to re-release a repackaged version of It Came from Within. The result is this little volume subtitled BreakingFree from the Four Emotions That Control You. The original had always been tempting to me because it had much cooler if exceedingly less relevant cover art. In this book, Stanley deals with issues of the heart; those things which keep us from doing what we know is right. He addresses those things that make us say, “Where did that come from?” “That’s not like me,” and similar exclamations when we say something or act in some way that seems totally out of character.
The simple answer to the question of where that (comment/action) came from is “It came from within.” Those out-of-character, less-than-stellar reactions that we encounter from time to time are an outward expression of something that is going on deeper down, in our heart (using the term metaphorically to represent our spiritual self). Stanley carries the example through well in the book relating our spiritual condition with the physical condition that relates to our heart—and what causes heart disease. Physically, we understand it is poor habits—whether at the gym or at the table. The author asserts that we can practice daily exercises in our spiritual lives that will strengthen our spiritual heart in the same way.Stanley identifies four culprits that rob us of our spiritual heart health: guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy. He includes the analogy of debt to represent each of these. Guilt says I owe you; anger says you owe me; greed, I owe myself; and jealousy, God owes me. He builds a pretty good case for each of these dynamic debts including Scriptures that address each one. He doesn’t simply point out the problem, though. Stanley is sure to offer a solution to overcoming each of these behaviors. Simply put, he suggests developing habits that defeat these enemies—confession, forgiveness, generosity, and celebration. He closes the book with a chapter on passing these good habits to the next generation living in your house, and a short chapter on lust which he claims is an appetite to be managed rather than an enemy to be overcome.
The book is a great means to address the underlying issues that result in the ugliness that is sin in our lives. The only drawback that I see in the book is that it leans toward the misconception that we are able to develop any of the overcoming habits outside of faith in Christ. Not that this is the intent of the author, just an observation about the book. In any case, I would recommend this manual on moving beyond the destructors of our relationships to any believer in Christ, and give it four and one-half reading glasses.
—Benjamin Potter, September 1, 2011[Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.]
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