John Ortberg Quotes

The movement of grace toward gratitude brings us from the package of self-obsessed madness to a spiritual awakening.

How sickness enlarges the dimensions of a man's self to himself! Supreme selfishness is inculcated upon him as his only duty.

When you center life around yourself, not only do you miss out on God's best, but you rob other people of the joy and blessings that God wants to give them through you.

I had an occasional flash of understanding, but then got selfishly wrapped up again in my own problems and pleasures.

In my own pursuit of God, I often became preoccupied with ME! It was easy to think that being constantly aware of my faults and weakness was humility. It’s not! If I’m the main subject, talking incessantly about my weaknesses, I have entered into the most subtle form of pride.

Let not a man's self be to him all in all.

All pity is self-pity.

You’re a human, you should understand self-obsession.

Anyone who thinks that his time is too valuable to spend keeping quiet will eventually have no time for God and his brother, but only for himself and for his own follies.

I work really hard at trying to see the big picture and not getting stuck in ego. I believe we're all put on this planet for a purpose, and we all have a different purpose... When you connect with that love and that compassion, that's when everything unfolds.

Stardom is no longer the fuel of my soul. It is the deeper aspects of life that nurture me. And I realise I am very blessed.

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.

Look for joy in your life; it's not always easy to find.

Beg of God the removal of envy, that God may deliver you from externals, and bestow upon you an inward occupation, which will absorb you so that your attention is not drawn away.

I'm doing my best to be mindful about how I'm living: to be kind and patient, and not to impose a bad mood on somebody else. Being mindful is as good a way to be spiritual as anything else.

Life is all about the spirit.

Ever since I was a kid, I've always thought it very important to be happy inside. There's a lot of bad things happening in the world, but it's important to try to stay happy and appreciate what you've got, and don't look externally for the happiness.

You believe happiness to be derived from the place in which once you have been happy, but in truth it is centered in ourselves.

Humanity is a failed experiment, but I think I'm God and I'd like to start over. I don't want to die, I just want everyone else to. I certainly would not be lonely. It would be exciting never having to listen to another person again but just my own self droning on and on. That's why I write a blog. And I read it, too.

I am very willing to share whatever I know or feel I know about finding some serenity in this lifetime.

Joy is a subtle elf; I think one's happiest when he forgets himself.

I do a lot of reading, meditating, and praying to stay as grounded as I can be in this crazy world.

This life that has been given to us as a gift, as such a precious gift. To really try to understand it, really try to recognize it, is the greatest meditation. Through the media of this Knowledge we can tap into our inner sources that are so beautiful.

I used to spend a lot of time just thinking about myself, thinking that the party started when I showed up.

I do get up in the morning and I try to spend at least half an hour meditating and reading something spiritual. I start my day with meditation and prayer, and I truly believe that all the stuff you do on the outside isn't as important as what you do on the inside.