Published by Baker Publishing Group, Baker Books on August 12, 2025
Genres: Non-Fiction, Christian Life, Devotional
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Take a grace-filled journey toward freedom from self-focus
· identify the wounds, assumptions, and scripts that keep you focused on self
· learn to recognize your true self
· break the bondage of self-focus to freely focus on GodWe are never more fragile than when we make ourselves the center of our story, because we will never live up to the expectations others have for us, to say nothing of the expectations we have for ourselves. But the answer to our problem is not as simple as shifting our focus. Finding freedom in self-forgetfulness is a sacred journey, and this book is your guide.
In Gazing at God, Sharon Hodde Miller leads you through a step-by-step process of turning away from self and toward God and others. During this 40-day journey, you will
· identify the wounds, assumptions, and scripts that keep you focused on self
· learn to recognize your true self
· break the bondage of self-focus to freely focus on GodIf you long for a life where you are not preoccupied by self-improvement and wondering how you measure up, let this devotional show you a better way forward.
This devotional by Sharon Hodde Miller is a follow-up to her prior book, Free of Me: Why Life Is Better When It’s Not about You, which is about becoming free from self-preoccupation and insecurity. In this new book, she shares some additional thoughts and reflections on the topic, along with related Bible verses and short reflection points. She designed this to be a forty-day experience, and because the readings and reflection points are so brief, people can work this into busy days without feeling like they have a bunch of homework to do. This is a quick, accessible read that offers wisdom and encouragement to people who are trying to get their eyes off themselves to focus on God more, regardless what their specific struggles are.
The author addresses a variety of different issues here, and she encourages readers to consider the root causes for their struggles, instead of just responding to things at a surface level. For example, she points out that someone might be very focused on themselves because they’re in pain, and she says that they should address the pain first and try to resolve that issue, before trying to redirect their attention. This book is very gentle, and it points readers to God without a punitive or scolding tone. Miller also shares vulnerable anecdotes and reflections from her own life, helping readers feel like they aren’t alone. I also appreciate that the author wrote this book in a gender-neutral way, and that she covered examples that are relatable for people in many stages of life.
Gazing at God: A 40-Day Journey to Greater Freedom from Self is an encouraging, straightforward book that can be helpful for individual reading and group studies. This book works as a standalone, but people are likely to get the most out of it if they have already read Free of Me. At times, I felt like the author didn’t mention or adequately delve into things that would have been helpful. I figured that this was probably because she’d already covered these things in her previous book and didn’t want to rehash the same material, but it does make this book somewhat less effective by itself.