Become New with John Ortberg
Join John Ortberg each day for 10 minutes of spiritual guidance on the person we are becoming.
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 Law and the James-Lange theory of emotion, John explores...
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 circumstances, or unanswered questions.
Drawing from the ancient C...
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 prayer before Psalm 5 gives us a morning prayer.
Why...
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 prepared to say the same prayers he'd prayed for decades, he challenged himself:
“Don't pray as you always have. This time, pray as if...
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 sometimes the night lasts much longer than we ever imagined.
John shares personally about a season when the pain didn't go away the next day...or the...
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 Brueggemann and Dallas Willard, John shows us a practical way to process what's happening inside us with God.
Psalm 102 doesn't clean up the mess.
The...
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 requires speaking. Sometimes it requires silence. Sometimes you engage. Sometimes you walk away.
The goal of Scripture isn't merely t...
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 as filled with meaning, wonder, and the presence of God.
Drawing on Charles Taylor and Dallas Willard, John invites us to recover the...
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, anguish, confusion, and desire honestly before God.
John connects this idea to the original story of The Adventures of Pinocchio, which is much darker and more spiritually suggestive than the famous Disney adaptation. Pinocchio is lovingly...
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, and danger. The psalmist looks directly toward them and asks: Where does my help really come from?
John explores what it means...
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 honest prayers in process. They teach us how to bring our real emotions into God's presence without pretending, suppressing, or acting on them.
Following Jesus: The Pros and Cons
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 following Jesus?
Discover why surrender isn't the loss of life, but the pathway to the greatest treasure you'll ever find.
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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 freedom, how envy quietly steals our joy, and why the path Jesus offers leads to the deepest kind of human flourishing.
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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 transformation goes far beyond self-improvement.
If you've ever wondered what Jesus really meant by "deny yourself," this conversation offers a hopeful vision of the new life God desires to create in every believer.<...
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 committed, and why genuine remorse isn't meant to produce shame, but lasting transformation.
Healing begins when we stop hiding from the truth and discover the grace of God waiting on the other side.
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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," and how learning to love the truth becomes the starting point for genuine transformation.
God doesn't reveal the truth to shame us. He reveals it so He can heal us.
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Irritated? This Might Be Why.
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 grace exposes what needs healing, and why the path to transformation begins with honest self-awareness rather than self-condemnation.
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 transformation begins with truth, humility, and God's mercy.
Discover why the Christian path isn't about thinking more highly of yourself, but about receiving the grace that makes genuine change possible.
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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 why true self-care isn't about self-indulgence, but about cultivating the kind of life that allows you to love God and serve others with greater joy, wisdom, and endurance.
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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 looks like in everyday life, this conversation offers a practical and deeply biblical vision of depending on God rather than simply relying on yourself.
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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 divided, fragmented, or like different parts of your life are pulling in opposite directions, this conversation offers a hopeful vision of becoming whole through the transforming work of God.
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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 matters more than getting everything right.
If you've ever wondered whether anxiety means you're failing spiritually, this honest conversation offers hope, wisdom, and a fresh perspective on what it means to live...
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 of stability that circumstances cannot destroy.
Discover how God's vision of wholeness, or shalom, provides lasting hope in a fragmented world and why spiritual formation is ultimately about becoming whole in Christ.
Continue the...
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 lasting hope. Jesus offers something radically different: transformation from the inside out.
Discover why Dallas Willard called Jesus the greatest revolutionary in history and how becoming His apprentice changes not only individual lives but the world itself.
...
2. What is Spiritual Formation?
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've ever wondered why you keep reacting the same way, despite your best intentions, this conversation offers a hopeful framework for understanding spiritual formation and learning to let Christ shape your heart.
Subscribe and...
1. Why Nothing Ever Feels Like Enough
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 renovation of the heart, the nature of spiritual thirst, and the promise of living water that satisfies our deepest longings.
If you've ever felt stuck, spiritually dry, or frustrated by repeated attempts to change yourself, this episode offers a hopeful...
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 everyone else's.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 37 and overcoming envy
- Why comparison is so destructive
- The difference between jealousy and envy
- Biblical...
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, responds, and is deeply moved by His people.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 74 and communal lament
- Psalms of orientation and disorientation
- Why the church needs la...
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 discover God's loving presence most deeply.
This episode explores:
Psalm 139 and being fully known by God
- The difference between aloneness and loneliness
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 the remarkable hope hidden in one tiny word that many of us overlook:
"My."
This episode explores:
- Ps...
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 His disciples' feet, Scripture tells one remarkable story: God's kingdom operates differently.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 113 and Go...
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 our own.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 143 and praying from weakness
- Why self-sufficiency is a spiritual trap
- Elijah's burnout and God's compassion
...
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 than all at once.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 39 and radical honesty
- Why Job, Peter, and Jonah wanted distance from God
- Healthy vs. unhealthy d...
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 the ultimate antidote to fear
- The difference between emotional states and character traits
- The powerful "Then what?" exercise
- A...
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 after something far deeper than behavior modification. He wants transformation from the inside out.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 51 and David's prayer
...
46. Feeling Sorry For Yourself? You're Not Alone.
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
- The danger of a wounded heart and bitter spirit
- "The Bible is reading you"
- Why "Yet I am always with You" changes...
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 achieve, but because they bear the image of God.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 8 and human dignity
- The image of God in every person
- Abraham Lincoln and the Gettysburg Address
...
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 you deeply love.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 130 and crying out from the depths
- God's forgiveness and unfailing love
- Servile fear versus filial...
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 powerful tools for spiritual growth.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 141 and guarding our words
- Why rebuke can be a gift
- Th...
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, hospitality, and John's grandmother Gladys, this episode offers a hopeful vision of aging with joy, purpose, and enduring vitality.
This episode explores:
- Psalm 92 and flourishing in...
