Become New with John Ortberg
Join John Ortberg each day for 10 minutes of spiritual guidance on the person we are becoming.
Episodes
03. I Want to Be Honest. So Why Do I Lie?
Why do we stretch the truth, even when we want to be honest? John Ortberg explores the insecurity, desire for approval, and self-protection that can drive our little lies, and how God helps us become truthful from the inside out.In episode three of Become New’s series on sin, the seven deadly sins, and grace, John shares a funny story from a pastors’ conference where church attendance became a mea
02. Why Do I Get So Defensive?
Do you really want the truth about yourself, or would you rather have it sugarcoated? John Ortberg explores why honest self-examination matters for spiritual growth and how knowing we are loved gives us the courage to face what needs to change.In episode two of Become New’s series on sin, the seven deadly sins, and grace, John draws on Dallas Willard, Peter Jones’s Self-Help from the Middle Ages,
01. Identifying your BIGGEST problem and how to overcome it
Why do I keep doing what I don’t want to do? And beneath the problems with my job, finances, or circumstances, am I actually becoming a more loving person?In the opening episode of Become New’s series exploring sin, the seven deadly sins, and grace, John Ortberg starts with a funny parallel-parking encounter and a surprisingly important question: “What’s your problem?” Through Romans 7, John explo
First Steps | A 10-Minute Look Inside the Live Masterclass with Dr. John Ortberg
Why do AA meetings sometimes feel like the safest place to tell the truth? And what could the church learn from that kind of honesty, acceptance, and shared dependence on God?In this episode, John Ortberg explores how the 12 Steps can help us approach spiritual growth, stubborn habits, and the struggles we keep trying to overcome alone. Whether you’re wrestling with anger, fear, control, greed, or
RR. I Desperately Need Peace
Can you have peace while the situation you’re facing is still unresolved? During one of the darkest periods of his life, John Ortberg found himself awake early in the morning, needing something solid to hold onto. A passage from Dallas Willard’s Renovation of the Heart helped him consider what peace might mean when circumstances remain frightening.John explores the exhausting work of trying to con
RR. I Messed Up, I Made a Mistake, Now What?
What do you say to yourself when you make a mistake? For many of us, one wrong answer, awkward conversation, or disappointing performance can turn into a harsh verdict about who we are. John Ortberg offers a different response, borrowed from conductor Benjamin Zander: “How fascinating!”Through stories about music, tutoring, Eugene Peterson, and the disciple Peter, John explores how a growth mindse
RR. How to Wait on God: A Verse-by-Verse Guide (Matthew 15:21-28)
Why does God sometimes make us wait for something we’ve asked him for again and again? Jesus tells us to keep praying, asking, seeking, and knocking. Yet the silence can be difficult to understand, especially when someone we love needs help.John Ortberg explores that tension through Jesus’ encounter with a Canaanite woman in Matthew 15. She comes to him pleading for her daughter, and at first Jesu
RR. How to Be Strong AND Vulnerable (feat. Alan George)
Can you lead with authority and still be genuinely vulnerable? Many of us treat those qualities as opposites. If we want to be strong, we assume we need to protect ourselves from being hurt. But in this conversation with Alan George, John Ortberg offers another picture of leadership.Drawing on Andy Crouch’s Strong and Weak, John explains that authority and vulnerability are two distinct qualities.
RR. The Good that Suffering Can Bring
What can still grow in your life after you’ve been hurt? John Ortberg explores that question through a story author James Michener remembered from childhood: an aging apple tree, eight rusty nails, and an unexpected harvest.Years later, after heart surgery and other painful health challenges, Michener returned to that image. He resolved to keep bearing fruit. John connects his story with the poetr
RR. I'm Struggling to Find God
What do you do when God seems absent from your story? Maybe you still pray, read Scripture, and show up, but the closeness you once felt is gone. Does that mean you’ve done something wrong? Has God left?John Ortberg explores those questions through John of the Cross, the sixteenth-century spiritual writer associated with the phrase dark night of the soul. John explains that this phrase can mean so
RR. Billions Invested in Leadership but Where are All the Good Leaders?
Everybody wants to make a difference. We spend billions developing leaders, and schools, businesses, and churches all talk about raising up the next generation of them. But when Jesus began the movement that would change countless lives, his invitation was just two words: “Follow me.”In this episode, John Ortberg asks what it really means to be a follower of Jesus. He challenges the idea that foll
RR. We asked 1,000 people which habits they wish they could break.
Is there a habit you keep trying to break, or one you wish you could finally build? You’re in good company. When John Ortberg asked the Become New community about their habits, more than a thousand people responded. They named struggles with worry, anger, procrastination, screen time, negative self-talk, and much more. Some felt too ashamed even to say what their hardest habit was.Into that strugg
RR. How to Handle Your LIMIT
What do you do with a part of yourself you wish you could change? Maybe you feel limited by your personality, your abilities, your age, or something your body can’t do. It’s easy to compare yourself with someone else and believe that if you just tried harder, you could finally become enough.In this episode, John Ortberg invites us to practice radical acceptance of our limitations. Moses, Gideon, J
Psalms Bonus! What Happens When Someone Really Listens to You
What happens when someone really listens to you?In this special bonus episode, John Ortberg sits down with Become New Creative Director Jackson Lane, who shares a story about a childhood stuffed animal, a remarkable ninth-grade teacher, and one small act of kindness he still remembers nearly 15 years later.The story leads John to a beautiful idea about the way God loves us: there is a kind of love
RR. The Most Important Thing to Believe About Jesus
Today we're revisiting an episode from SHINE, our walk through the book of Philippians. And there's a reason we're bringing this one back: we've just launched a new Bible reading plan on the Bible App based on the SHINE series. So if today's teaching is helpful to you and you'd like to go deeper, you can now walk through the whole series one day at a time in the Bible
Thank You from John and Become New
Thank you for being part of Become New, a global community growing spiritually in Christ, one day at a time.With an impromptu message from John, filmed on his iPhone in the Grand Tetons, this video is a personal thank-you for being part of this community—and an invitation to help make this work possible.Your generosity helps our small team create and share daily Bible teaching, prayer, study guide
87. The Lord of the Rings' Most Important Lesson
Why did Frodo need Gollum?Coming to you from Hobbiton, New Zealand, John Ortberg explores one of the deepest themes running through J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings:Mercy.Bilbo could have killed Gollum. Frodo could have killed him. Sam could have killed him.But pity stayed their hands.And when Frodo finally reaches Mount Doom, something surprising happens: he fails. His own willpower is
86. What the Psalms Are Trying to Teach Us
Your life was made to be a Psalm.As this journey through the Psalms draws toward its close, John Ortberg reflects on where the Psalter has been leading us all along.Psalm 1 begins by asking what kind of life we will live. The Psalms then carry us through fear, anger, grief, confession, hope, and joy. But the final five Psalms end in an explosion of one thing:Praise.In Psalm 148, everything is invi
85. The Surprising Connection Between Therapy and the Psalms (w/Dr. Rick)
What can a therapist teach us about prayer?John Ortberg sits down with his longtime friend and therapist Dr. Rick to explore the Psalms as a kind of “divine therapy with God.”The Psalms are messy. Angry. Afraid. Contradictory. Unfiltered.And according to Rick, that's exactly where healing begins: ruthless honesty inside a relationship where we know we're accepted.So what would happen if
84. How Hope Changes Suffering
Suffering can do one of two things: break us or break us open.Beginning with Frederick Buechner's unforgettable image, John Ortberg explores Psalm 110 and one of the deepest ways Christians have read the Psalms: seeing the story of Jesus in their suffering, longing, and hope.Drawing from C.S. Lewis, Plato, and the mysterious biblical figure Melchizedek, John looks at how Jesus brings together
83. Why Happiness Never Seems to Last
Are you actually experiencing joy, or are you mostly experiencing relief when problems finally go away?In Psalm 68, John Ortberg explores the biblical idea of exultation: deep, expressive joy that can exist even when life isn't going perfectly.Drawing from C.S. Lewis and Dallas Willard, John looks at why we can spend our lives clearing one hurdle after another and mistaking the resulting reli
82. There Are 3 Kinds of Friends. Here’s the One You Need.
There are three kinds of friends. Two can be valuable, but the third can actually help you become the person God created you to be.Beginning with Psalm 122 and the simple words “Let us go,” John Ortberg explores why friendship is so essential to human flourishing and why it seems increasingly difficult to find.Drawing on Aristotle's three kinds of friendship, John looks at useful friends, ple
81. Two Kinds of Commitment. Only One Transforms You.
There are two kinds of commitments: contracts and covenants.We need both. But John Ortberg explains why one can enhance your life while the other can actually transform it.Beginning with Psalm 35, John explores the difference between transactional relationships and covenant relationships, from Casablanca to a remarkable moment in American history when Psalm 35 was read before the Continental Congr
80. How to Get "Unstuck" in Praise
Why does God want us to praise Him? And what if praising God sometimes feels awkward, artificial, or forced?In this reflection on Psalm 67, John Ortberg explores the same question that once troubled C. S. Lewis.Lewis eventually discovered that God doesn't need praise like an insecure person needs compliments. Praise is actually part of our enjoyment of what's good.We naturally praise the
79. What to Do When You’re Afraid
What do you do when you're afraid?In this reflection on Psalm 62, John Ortberg shares a memorable Dallas Willard story about a terrified cat clinging to a tree, and asks a surprisingly revealing question:What's your branch?When we're afraid, we clutch. We grasp for control over relationships, money, health, reputation, work, or whatever makes us feel secure.But Psalm 62 offers anoth
78. How to Not Waste Your Most Valuable Asset
Who has your attention?In a world where screens, money, health, worries, ambitions, and countless other forces compete for our focus, John Ortberg asks a deeper question: Who is my master?Psalm 143 teaches us how to pay attention to God through two important practices: focused attention and open attention.John explores why attention is so powerful, how what we consistently attend to can actually c
77. Finding Perspective Changes Everything
Sometimes you need to stop moving long enough to notice where you actually are.In this reflection on Psalm 100, John Ortberg pulls over at a vista point and invites us to create a “vista point” in our own day: pause, look around, notice the beauty and goodness of God, and make a joyful noise.John also shares the remarkable story of a $3 thrift-store jersey that turned out to be worth $90,000. It l
76. What Dallas Willard Taught Us About Psalm 23 (w/Keith Matthews)
What do people experience when they're around you?In this conversation on Psalm 23, John Ortberg is joined by Keith Matthews, who spent 18 years teaching alongside Dallas Willard.Keith shares what Dallas was really like, why he loved Psalm 23, and a remarkable story about a young woman whose life changed after simply watching Dallas interact with someone on the USC campus.Dallas often prayed
75. Life-Maxing? No, No, No...Try This Instead
We're surrounded by voices telling us to maximize ourselves: our looks, productivity, wealth, health, status, experiences, and potential.But Jesus offers a radically different path to maximum life.In this episode, John Ortberg explores the “self-maximizer” inside us and contrasts it with John the Baptist's famous words: “He must increase; I must decrease.”The paradox of God's kingdo
74. The Number One Self-Care Solution
What does your soul actually need for self-care?Psalm 19 gives a surprising answer: “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.”In this episode, John Ortberg explores why God's instruction isn't meant to burden us, but to help make us whole. Our souls become divided when our thoughts, desires, values, words, and actions pull in different directions. God's Word shows us what
73. Two Questions You Should Ask Yourself Every Day
We're surrounded by surveys.Rate your phone call.Rate your church experience.Rate your doctor's visit.John even got asked to rate his experience giving a urine sample. 😂But what about the things that actually matter?In this reflection on Psalm 36, John Ortberg gives us two surveys worth taking every day.Survey #1: Is there anything in me that needs correcting?Instead of reading about “th
72. Psalm 139, Gollum, and Finding Our Identity
Remember where you come from.According to John Ortberg, remembering where you truly come from gives you two remarkable gifts: Identity and hope.In this reflection on Psalm 139, John explores what it means to be “fearfully and wonderfully made.”In this episode:Psalm 139 and where we truly come fromWhy remembering your origin gives you identityWhat it means to be fearfully and wonderfully madeYour b
71. Becoming Defensive Doesn't Help. Here's Why
What happens when God shows you something about yourself you don't want to see?Our instinct is often to defend.Explain.Distract ourselves.Push it away.But what if the uncomfortable truth is actually an invitation to transformation?In this reflection on Psalm 32, John Ortberg explores the relationship between pain, honesty, forgiveness, and genuine change.John begins personally, describing a c
70. How to Keep Your Soul Healthy
How is it with your soul?It's probably not a question anyone else will ask you today.But it may be one of the most important questions you can ask yourself.In this reflection on the Psalms, John Ortberg draws from Renovation of the Heart to explore what the soul actually is and why its health affects everything else in our lives.Dallas Willard describes the soul as an inner stream of water th
69. The Glory and Burden of Potential
What if you haven't lived up to your potential?In this reflection on Psalm 8, John Ortberg explores one of the great wonders of God's creation: human potential.You can count the seeds in an apple.But you cannot count the apples in a seed.Human beings possess an extraordinary capacity to grow, create, love, serve and become. Psalm 8 looks at the vastness of the heavens and then marvels th
68. This Question Will Guide Your Life
What do you really want?According to the Gospel of John, that's the first question Jesus asks His would-be disciples:“What do you want?”In this reflection on Psalm 1, John Ortberg explores why that may be one of the most important questions we ever answer.Our lives have a way of organizing themselves around our deepest desires.How do you spend your time?Your money?What makes you angry?What ar
67. Why Today is a Good Day to Die
Today is a good day to die.Which means it's a good day to come alive.In this reflection on Psalm 51, John Ortberg explores an old Christian word that doesn't get used much anymore: mortification.It sounds miserable.But properly understood, mortification isn't about becoming miserable.It's about becoming free.John describes two selves within us: the impulsive self, driven by wha
66. You Were Made for GREAT Joy
You were made for great joy...but what do you do when you don't feel particularly joyful?In this reflection on Psalm 47, John Ortberg explores a surprisingly practical answer: Do something joyful.Sing.Clap.Dance.Go outside.Listen to birds.Look into the face of someone you love.Maybe even skip.The Psalms weren't merely written to be read. They were meant to be sung.Drawing from William La
65. The Right Way to Start Your Day
What's the right way to wake up?In this reflection on Psalm 5, John Ortberg continues the daily rhythm begun in Psalm 4.Evening is the time of peace. Morning is the time of hope.And don't worry: you don't have to become a morning person.John explores how Psalm 5 gives us a practical way to begin an ordinary day with God, even when we wake up carrying heavy burdens, difficult circums
64. The Right Way to Go to Sleep
Did you know the Bible gives us a way to go to sleep?In this reflection on Psalm 4, John Ortberg explores what sleep can teach us about surrender, control, prayer, and trusting God.Drawing from Answering God, John points out a fascinating biblical rhythm: evening comes before morning.Genesis says, “There was evening, and there was morning.”Sabbath begins at sundown.Psalm 4 gives us an evening pray
63. How to Pray to Change Your Life
What if you prayed the Psalms as if they could really help?In this reflection on Psalm 30, John Ortberg explores the difference between simply reciting Scripture and allowing its words to become our own prayer.John shares the story of Rabbi Plotkin, whose life seemed to be falling apart. His marriage was ending. His future felt uncertain. Fear and self-pity had taken over.Then one morning, as he p
62. Finding God in the Dark Night of the Soul ("The Pit")
What do you do when you find yourself in the pit?In this reflection on Psalm 30, John Ortberg explores one of the Bible's most powerful metaphors for suffering: the pit, the depths, the darkness, Sheol.Sometimes the pit is grief.Sometimes it's depression, failure, anxiety, physical pain, a broken relationship, a dream that has died, or something completely beyond our control.And sometime
61. Can God Heal Your Mind?
What do you do with the mess inside your mind?In this reflection on Psalm 102, John Ortberg explores how the Psalms can become a kind of divine therapy, teaching us to bring our actual thoughts, emotions, fears, and beliefs honestly into the presence of God.Drawing from Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb, the ABCDE framework associated with Martin Seligman, and insights from Walter
60. Understanding Biblical Contradictions
How do you deal with foolish people?The Bible gives a surprisingly complicated answer.In Proverbs 26:4 we're told:“Do not answer a fool according to his folly...”And then, in the very next verse:“Answer a fool according to his folly...”So which is it?In this reflection on Psalm 14, John Ortberg explores why biblical wisdom can't be reduced to a simple set of rules. Sometimes wisdom requi
59. The Noble Pursuit of Being Ordinary
What if the goal today isn't to make your life extraordinary?What if it's to learn how to see the extraordinary gift hidden inside the ordinary?In this reflection on Psalm 104, John Ortberg explores how modern life has changed the way we see the world around us. We know more than ever about how nature works, yet we may have lost something along the way: our ability to experience creation
58. Pinocchio Theology (Getting Real)
Which version of you shows up when you pray?In this reflection on Psalm 55, John Ortberg explores a surprising truth about prayer: God doesn't want the cleaned-up, polished, "Disney version" of you. He wants the real you.The Psalms aren't theological essays or collections of perfectly polished emotions. They're raw prayers from real human beings bringing fear, anger, angui
57. This Psalm is Deeply Important to Me
What are you looking to for help today?In this reflection on Psalm 121, John Ortberg explores two simple actions that can make today a blessed day:God watches over us.We lift our eyes toward Him.But "I lift up my eyes to the hills" may mean something different than we often assume. In the ancient world, the hills weren't merely beautiful. They were places of idolatry, uncertainty, a
56. Why You Shouldn't Pray EVERY Psalm
Should you pray every line of every Psalm?In this reflection on Psalm 109, John Ortberg tackles one of the most difficult passages in the Bible—and offers one of the most freeing insights of the entire Psalms series.What do we do with prayers that sound angry, vengeful, or even shocking?Drawing on the work of René Girard, John explains that the Psalms are not polished theological essays. They are
Following Jesus: The Pros and Cons (2022)
What does it really cost to follow Jesus?In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Jesus' most misunderstood invitations: "Count the cost." Drawing from Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart, he explains why discipleship is not an emotional decision but a thoughtful one. More importantly, he asks a question many of us rarely consider: What is the cost of not followin
Freedom - Defined. (2022)
What if doing whatever you want doesn't actually make you free?In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Dallas Willard's most profound ideas from The Renovation of the Heart: true freedom isn't the ability to satisfy every desire. It's becoming the kind of person who desires what is good and has the strength to live it out.Discover why self-denial is not the enemy of freed
Self-Improvement Just Can't Cut It (2022)
Is Christianity about becoming a better version of yourself?In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Dallas Willard's most challenging and hope-filled ideas from The Renovation of the Heart: the ruined life isn't meant to be enhanced, but replaced. Discover why self-denial isn't about self-hatred, why Jesus calls us to lose our lives in order to find them, and how true transfor
The Necessity for Change - That No One Likes (2022)
What if the greatest obstacle to spiritual growth isn't what has happened to you, but what is happening within you?In this episode, John Ortberg continues exploring Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart by examining one of Christianity's most misunderstood ideas: remorse. Discover why the Bible distinguishes between the wounds we've suffered and the wrong we've comm
What is a Lost Soul? (2022)
John explains what makes a soul lost and how the truth about ourselves is the beginning of being found.In this episode (2022), John Ortberg continues exploring Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart by examining one of the greatest barriers to spiritual growth: self-deception. Discover why the human heart naturally resists uncomfortable truths, what Jesus meant by "losing your soul
Irritated? This Might Be Why. (2022)
What if your irritation is trying to tell you something?In this episode, John Ortberg explores one of Dallas Willard's most practical insights from The Renovation of the Heart: the everyday emotions and reactions we often dismiss may actually be warning lights revealing the true condition of our souls.Discover why denial is one of humanity's greatest spiritual obstacles, how God's g
Psychology Was Wrong About Self-Esteem (2022)
Is self-esteem really the key to a better life?For years, psychologists believed increasing self-esteem would solve many of our greatest personal and social problems. But after decades of research, the evidence pointed in a different direction. In this episode, John Ortberg explores what Dallas Willard teaches in The Renovation of the Heart about the deeper human problem and why lasting transforma
Is Self-Care Biblical? with Dr. Rick Blackmon (2022)
Is self-care selfish? Or is it something Jesus actually invites us to practice?In this conversation, John Ortberg sits down with psychiatrist Dr. Rick Blackmon to explore Dallas Willard's vision of soul care from The Renovation of the Heart. Together they discuss emotional health, burnout, self-denial, and why understanding yourself is the first step toward caring for yourself well.Discover w
What Does It Really Mean to Live by the Spirit? (2022)
What does it really mean to live by the Spirit?In this episode, John Ortberg explores Dallas Willard's understanding of the spiritual life through The Renovation of the Heart. Discover why every person is both physical and spiritual, what makes the human will so remarkable, and why Jesus teaches us to pray, "Your will be done."If you've ever wondered what surrender actually loo
What Does It Mean to Be A PERSON? (2022)
What does it really mean to be a person?In this episode, John Ortberg explores Dallas Willard's powerful framework for understanding the human person through The Renovation of the Heart. Discover how the heart, mind, body, relationships, and soul work together to form the whole person, and why lasting spiritual transformation involves far more than changing behavior.If you've ever felt d
Anxiety: “I cannot create peace in my life” (2022)
Can you experience God's peace while still struggling with anxiety?In this special conversation, John Ortberg is joined by his daughter, Laura Turner, to explore one of the deepest themes in Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart: peace. Together they discuss why peace is more than the absence of worry, how acceptance differs from giving up, and why receiving God's love often
The Key to Understanding ANYTHING (2022)
What do you do when your life feels like it's falling apart?In Episode 4 of our Become New series, John Ortberg continues exploring Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart by examining one of Scripture's most encouraging promises: "In Christ all things hold together." Even when our relationships, health, finances, or emotions feel fractured, Jesus offers a deeper kind
Hope Beyond Wishful Thinking (2022)
Fear dominates much of modern life. But Jesus offers something deeper than optimism.In Episode 3 of our Become New series (2022), John Ortberg continues exploring Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart, asking why every human solution eventually falls short of changing the human heart. From ancient philosophy to politics, psychology, and self-improvement, people have searched for lastin
What is Spiritual Formation? (2022)
In Episode 2 of our Become New series, John Ortberg continues exploring Dallas Willard's The Renovation of the Heart by unpacking Proverbs 4:23: "Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Together, we examine why our responses to life often expose the deeper formation taking place within us and how Jesus invites us into lasting transformation from the inside out.If you
Why Nothing Ever Feels Like Enough (2022)
What if lasting spiritual transformation isn't about trying harder?In this opening episode of our Become New series, John Ortberg introduces Dallas Willard's classic The Renovation of the Heart and explores Jesus' invitation to become people whose lives are transformed from the inside out. Rather than focusing on behavior modification, this conversation examines the deeper renovatio
55. Stop Comparing. Start Living.
Why is comparison so hard to escape?In this reflection on Psalm 37, John Ortberg explores the hidden power of envy and why it quietly robs us of joy, gratitude, and peace.Drawing on insights from Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung, John explains the difference between jealousy and envy, why comparison always leaves us feeling deficient, and how God's care frees us from measuring our lives against every
54. Does Prayer Actually Change Anything?
If God already knows everything...why pray?In this reflection on Psalm 74, John Ortberg wrestles with one of the oldest questions about prayer.Can our prayers actually matter?Drawing on insights from Walter Brueggemann and Dallas Willard, John explores the difference between the ancient philosophical idea of the "Unmoved Mover" and the God revealed in Scripture—the God who listens, respo
53. The Surprising Cure for Loneliness
What if the cure for loneliness isn't finding more people... but learning to be alone?In this reflection on Psalm 139, John Ortberg explores one of the deepest realities of being human: our longing to be fully known and never abandoned.Drawing on the wisdom of Dallas Willard, John explains why we spend so much energy avoiding solitude—and why silence may actually become the place where we dis
52. Does God Feel Far Away?
What do you do when you feel completely forsaken?In this reflection on Psalm 22, John Ortberg explores one of the most haunting prayers in all of Scripture:"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?"These are not only the words of the psalmist—they are the words Jesus prayed from the cross.John explores the unique pain of abandonment, the difference between explanation and healing, and t
51. This Law Explains the Whole Bible (Psalm 113)
Who really gets the good stuff?In this reflection on Psalm 113, John Ortberg explores what Dallas Willard called the Law of Inversion—one of the great themes running through the entire Bible.Again and again, God overturns the world's prestige system.The first become last.The overlooked become honored.The humble are lifted up.From Abel to Jacob, Hannah to Mary, the Beatitudes to Jesus washing
50. These Two Words Will Change Your Life
What if the two most freeing words you could say are:"I can't."In this reflection on Psalm 143, John Ortberg explores why admitting our limitations isn't failure—it's the beginning of faith.Through a humorous story about assembling a chair, the story of Elijah's exhaustion, and a fresh look at Philippians 4:13, John reminds us that we were never meant to carry life on
49. Why God Doesn’t Reveal Everything At Once
Is denial always a bad thing?In this reflection on Psalm 39, John Ortberg explores one of the Bible's strangest prayers:"Look away from me."Why would anyone pray that?Drawing on insights from Dallas Willard, Søren Kierkegaard, and Greg Ten Elshof, John explains the surprising difference between healthy denial and unhealthy denial, and why God often reveals truth gradually rather tha
48. The Opposite of Fear Isn't Courage
Is the opposite of fear really courage?In this reflection on Psalm 27, John Ortberg offers a surprising answer:No. The opposite of fear is God’s presence.Drawing on the wisdom of Dallas Willard, John explains why Jesus could repeatedly tell His followers, "Do not be afraid," and what that invitation actually means.This episode explores:- Psalm 27 and trusting God- Why courage isn't
47. What God Actually Wants
What actually makes someone a good person?In this reflection on Psalm 51, John Ortberg explores one of the most important differences between religion and the teaching of Jesus.David doesn't simply pray,"Forgive my sins."He prays,"Create in me a clean heart."Drawing on insights from Dallas Willard and the remarkable story of Joni Eareckson Tada, John explains why God is af
46. Glenn Packiam: Don't Let a Wounded Heart Become a Bitter Spirit
What do you do when prayer feels impossible?In this conversation, John Ortberg is joined by pastor and author Glenn Packiam to reflect on Psalm 73 and the reality of spiritual slumps.Glenn shares why he always returns to the Psalms when he struggles to pray, and together they explore envy, self-pity, hope, and God's unwavering presence.This episode explores:- Psalm 73 and spiritual honesty- T
45. How Should Christians Love Their Country?
How should followers of Jesus love their country?In this Independence Day reflection, John Ortberg explores Psalm 8, the Gettysburg Address, and the biblical foundation of human dignity.Drawing from the writings of Abraham Lincoln, philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff, and the opening chapters of Genesis, John explains why every human being possesses immeasurable worth—not because of what they achiev
44. What Does It Mean to Fear God?
What does it actually mean to fear God?In this reflection on Psalm 130, John Ortberg shares from a reunion with lifelong friends and explores one of Scripture's most misunderstood ideas.Why does the psalm say:"With You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared"?Drawing on the wisdom of Thomas Aquinas, John explains the difference between fearing punishment and revering someone
43. Why You Need Someone to Correct You
Would you welcome a loving rebuke?In this reflection on Psalm 141, John Ortberg explores one of the most surprising prayers in Scripture:"Let a righteous person strike me—that is a kindness."Why would anyone ask to be corrected?Through stories from the life of Winston Churchill, personal reflections, and the wisdom of the Psalms, John shows how humility and honest feedback can become pow
42. The Secret to Aging Well (with Nancy Ortberg)
Can you actually grow better with age?In this reflection on Psalm 92, John Ortberg is joined by his wife, Nancy Ortberg, for a warm and thoughtful conversation about lifelong spiritual growth.Together they explore the psalm's remarkable promise:"They will still bear fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green."From stories of nursing patients to reflections on curiosity, hospit
41. How Does God Actually Guide Us?
How does God actually guide His people?In this reflection on Psalm 32, John Ortberg explores one of Scripture's most comforting promises:"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go."Drawing on insights from Dallas Willard and the story of Peter in the book of Acts, John explains the difference between mechanical control and personal guidance—and why God desires relat
40. Nobody Is Self-Made
What if the key to gratitude is realizing that none of us is self-made?In this reflection on Psalm 136, John Ortberg explores the repeated refrain:"His love endures forever."Through a powerful exercise inspired by philosopher Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung, John invites us to trace the hidden network of people and gifts behind the things we enjoy every day—and ultimately back to God Himself.Th
39. Don't Let Your Emotions Run Your Life
How do you process painful emotions without letting them control your life?In this conversation on Psalm 30, John Ortberg sits down with counselor and friend Rick Blackmon to explore one of the most practical lessons in the Psalms:Own your emotions—but don't enthrone them.Together they discuss anxiety, grief, anger, praise, humor, counseling, and the hope found in God's presence.This epi
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