I remember finishing The Gift of Being Yourself and thinking I should read it every year. Benner explores the relationship between knowing God and honestly knowing ourselves, especially the false identities we can build around achievement, roles, approval, or the version of ourselves we want other people to see.
What I value is the way the book connects self-awareness with spiritual transformation. The point is not endless introspection. It is becoming more honest about what drives us so we can receive our identity in God rather than constructing it for ourselves.
It is short, thoughtful, and the kind of book that meets you differently in different seasons. I have recommended it to several people because it asks a question worth revisiting: am I becoming more fully the person God created me to be, or simply getting better at maintaining the person I think I need to be?
Warning: this book may cause unexpected self-awareness. Proceed only if you are willing to have some of your favorite coping mechanisms lovingly exposed.