Become New with John Ortberg

What's your story today?

In this teaching on Psalm 59, John Ortberg explores one of the most important lessons of the Psalms: prayer is always prayed from inside a story.

Drawing from Answering God, John challenges the idea of "spiritualized prayer" — prayer that removes the conflict, fear, anger, disappointment, and messiness of ordinary life.

Psalm 59 was written in the middle of David's crisis. Men were sent to kill him. His prayer wasn't polished. It wasn't neat. It was real.

This episode explores:
- Why every prayer comes from a story
- The danger of spiritually correct prayer
- Psalm 59 and David's honesty
- Fear, trust, and emotional authenticity
- Eugene Peterson's insights on prayer
- Bringing your whole self before God

Featuring reflections from:
- Eugene Peterson
- David's life in 1 Samuel

Scriptures:
- Psalm 59
- Psalm 3
- 1 Samuel 19

#Psalm59 #JohnOrtberg #Prayer #EugenePeterson #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #BibleStudy #Psalms #Authenticity #Faith

📚 Today's Resources:
Eugene H. Peterson, Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer

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Music Credits:
Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE
Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF

00:00 What's Your Story Today?
00:39 Eugene Peterson & Spiritualized Prayer
01:06 Psalm 3 and David's Story
01:51 Every Day Is a Story
02:32 Psalm Titles and Real Life
03:17 Why Scholars Often Ignore the Titles
04:02 Eugene Peterson's Insight
04:31 The Danger of Spiritualized Prayer
05:24 What Trouble Are You Facing Today?
06:21 Psalm 59 Begins
07:02 Trust, Fear & Emotional Honesty
08:20 Mrs. X and Spiritually Correct Prayer
09:19 The Problem With Polished Prayers
10:08 Living in the Mess With God
10:59 “I Am Not My Strength”
11:23 Every Story Matters to God
11:44 Your Outside Story and Inside Story

What if refuge was something you practiced?

In this conversation, John Ortberg talks with therapist and trauma specialist Lisa Cuss about anxiety, church hurt, attachment theory, the nervous system, and Psalm 31.

Lisa shares how reading the Psalms through the lens of the nervous system helped her understand David's prayers in a completely new way. His cries of fear, confusion, and desperation suddenly felt deeply human and surprisingly familiar.

This episode explores:
- Trauma and attachment theory
- Church hurt and emotional healing
- Psalm 31 and the image of refuge
- Why God is called a fortress
- Right-sizing reality through prayer
- Making refuge an active spiritual practice

Featuring reflections on:
- David's prayers
- The nervous system
- Martin Luther
- A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

#Psalm31 #JohnOrtberg #LisaCuss #Prayer #Trauma #AttachmentTheory #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #Anxiety #Psalms

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Music Credits:
Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE
Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF

00:00 Introduction & Meet Lisa Cuss
00:30 Church Hurt, Conflict & Anxiety
01:15 Living Between Panic & Shutdown
02:29 Reading the Psalms Through the Nervous System
03:23 David's Emotional Honesty
04:00 Naming the Amygdala Hijack
04:47 Psalm 31: Refuge & Fortress
05:56 What Refuge Really Means
06:27 Right-Sizing Reality
07:02 Refuge as a Spiritual Practice
07:27 What If Refuge Became a Verb?
08:25 Understanding Fortress
08:42 Protection While Under Attack
09:07 The Battles Inside Us
09:56 Facing Hard Things With God
10:27 Martin Luther & A Mighty Fortress
11:20 Go Refuge

What if your imperfections are not your greatest problem?

In this teaching on Psalm 138, John Ortberg explores the difference between perfection and perfectionism, the beauty of human weakness, and why God has so much compassion for imperfect people.

Drawing from Psalm 138, Psalm 103, the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, and the image of cracked pottery repaired with gold, John shows how God often creates beauty through what we would rather hide.

This episode explores:
- The difference between perfection and perfectionism
- Why God remembers we are dust
- Fear, anxiety, and self-worth
- Wabi-sabi and the beauty of imperfection
- Jesus retaining His scars after resurrection
- Learning to accept imperfect people

Featuring reflections on:
- Brené Brown
- Gordon Flett
- Psalm 138
- Psalm 103

Scriptures:
- Psalm 138
- Psalm 103:13–14
- Isaiah 53

#Psalm138 #JohnOrtberg #Perfectionism #Grace #WabiSabi #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #Prayer #BibleStudy #Psalms

🙌 New episodes every weekday.
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Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time.
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Music Credits:
Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE
Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF

00:00 Today's Only for Imperfect People
00:27 The Psalms & Human Brokenness
00:47 Psalm 138 Begins
01:16 Though I Walk in the Midst of Trouble
02:08 “The Lord Will Perfect That Which Concerns Me”
02:30 “He Remembers We Are Dust”
03:02 Wabi-Sabi & the Beauty of Imperfection
03:37 The Difference Between Perfection & Perfectionism
04:41 Brené Brown, Fear & Self-Worth
05:19 Cracked Pottery Filled With Gold
05:50 Jesus Kept His Scars
06:22 Isaiah 53 & the Appearance of Jesus
07:07 The Leaning Tower of Pisa
07:33 Post-it Notes & Beautiful Failure
08:45 God’s Compassion for Dust
09:19 Living in an Imperfect World
10:04 Welcoming Imperfect People
10:22 Nancy Joins the Conversation
10:35 “You’re Pretty Darn Close to Perfect”

How do you calm and quiet your soul?

In this deeply practical conversation on Psalm 131, John Ortberg and Steve Cuss explore anxiety, emotional awareness, prayer, soothing, and learning to rest in the presence of God.

Psalm 131 offers one of the gentlest images in all of Scripture:
 “I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child with its mother.”

This episode explores:
- Anxiety and emotional awareness
- “Trying to worry your way to peace”
- How to notice what’s happening internally
- Connected vs. disconnected prayer
- Relaxing into God’s presence
- Psalm 131 and soothing the soul

This conversation is honest, calming, psychologically insightful, and deeply encouraging.

Scriptures:
- Psalm 131

#Psalm131 #JohnOrtberg #SteveCuss #Prayer #Anxiety #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #Peace #BibleStudy #Psalms

🙌 New episodes every weekday.
📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time.

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TEXT us at 51504
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GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504
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Music Credits:
Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE
Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF

00:00 Introduction & Steve Cuss Returns
00:28 Prayer, Peace & the Need for Soothing
01:39 Psalm 131 Begins
02:32 “I Have Calmed and Quieted Myself”
03:20 A Weaned Child With Its Mother
03:40 Learning to Notice What’s Happening Inside
04:34 “I Don’t Know How I’m Doing”
05:05 Bringing Yourself Honestly Before God
05:46 Calming & Quieting Ourselves
06:19 “Trying to Worry My Way to Peace”
07:19 “Who or What Is Taking Up Too Much Space?”
08:02 Forgetting the Presence of God
08:29 Relaxing Into God’s Presence
09:15 Small Moments of Relief & Resilience
10:04 “Put Your Hope in the Lord”
10:39 “Now and Forevermore”
11:23 Connected Self vs. Disconnected Self
12:14 “How Am I Really Doing?”
12:44 The Wasp Story & Closing Prayer

What is social media doing to your soul?

In this conversation, John Ortberg and Steve Cuss explore Psalm 1, online outrage, anxiety, reactivity, and the emotional formation happening through social media.

Why do platforms like Twitter/X, Facebook, and Instagram so easily pull people toward outrage, contempt, comparison, and self-righteousness? And what do the Psalms have to say about it?

This episode explores:
- Psalm 1 and “the company of mockers”
- Reactivity and self-righteousness online
- Why Steve deactivated Twitter
- Social media algorithms and outrage
- Meditation, attention, and spiritual formation
- “Relaxing into God’s presence”

This is an honest, thoughtful, and deeply practical conversation about technology, attention, anxiety, and the health of the human soul.

Scriptures:
- Psalm 1
- Psalm 55

#Psalm1 #JohnOrtberg #SteveCuss #SocialMedia #Prayer #SpiritualFormation #ChristianFaith #Anxiety #Twitter #Psalms

🙌 New episodes every weekday.
📲 Subscribe, like, and share to help others grow spiritually. One day at a time.

Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time.
TEXT us at 51504
EMAIL US at [email protected]

GET OUR WEEKDAY EMAILS WITH EXTRA GOODIES at becomenew.com/subscribe
GET A TEXT REMINDER FOR NEW VIDEOS: text NEW to 51504
SEND US PRAYER REQUESTS: via text or email; we'll send you a written prayer from our team
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Music Credits:
Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE
Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF

00:00 Introduction & Steve Cuss Joins the Conversation
00:52 Social Media, Reactivity & Self-Righteousness
01:38 “One More Statement From Me Is What the World Requires”
02:05 Psalm 1 Begins
03:20 Scoffers, Mockers & Online Culture
04:03 “Thank God I’m Not Like Those People”
04:32 Why Steve Left Twitter
05:16 Psalm 55 & “Violence in the City”
06:13 The Emotional Atmosphere of Social Media
07:23 Trying to Respond With Grace Online
08:11 Algorithms Reward Outrage
09:07 Systems That Amplify the Worst in Us
09:34 Self-Awareness Is Not Enough
10:12 Meditating on Outrage vs. Meditating on God
10:42 “What Street Do I No Longer Need to Walk Down?”
10:56 Closing Prayer