“…each of us lives from the heart. And the health of your heart will be reflected in the quality of your life” (204). While this quote comes from late in Andy Stanley’s It Came From Within: the shocking truth of what lurks in the heart (Multnomah, 2006), it is the premise for the book. In his easy style, Andy Stanley grips you from page with interest in what can make your heart sick, delve into Scripture to find the truth of what is there and God’s prescription to defeat the monster(s) within.
We have learned, for the better part of our lives, how to control our behaviors. Our parents, teachers, pastors, and others, have taught us how to behave. But every once in a while a word or action spills out of us and we wonder, “Where did that come from?” The answer comes from the words of Jesus:
“Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man…”
(Matthew 15:17-19)
Andy identifies four monsters that lurk in the heart. I almost prefer not to list them, to allow you to discover them on your own. Why? Because you might think that your heart is free from them, that they are so far from your life that you don’t need to read this book. I would say that you’re fooling yourself, and you’re in trouble. Andy breaks these down to four outstanding balances that rest at the foundation of each monsters place in your life. You’d be surprised which come out when you inspect the heart. These four monsters are Guilt, Anger, Greed, and Jealousy.
He also spends time giving you an antidote, a cure for the monster. They aren’t overnight wonder drugs, they are habits. They sap the power and foothold of each sickness in your heart. I knew upon reading about one of these monsters that I needed to face it head on. I took Andy’s advice and began a new habit that day, and the result was amazing. Such freedom from a step so simple, that I just needed the willpower to put it in play.
It Came From Within is for anyone curious about what dangers could possibly lurk in their own heart. It is insightful, practical, and real. It is a must read for those who think they’re alright, and for those who know better. And you’ll find yourself passing around your copy when you finish.