Becoming Defensive Doesn't Help. Here's Why. - Dr. John Ortberg

About this sermon

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 conversation in which a longtime friend helped him recognize uncomfortable patterns of comparison, envy, and competition in himself. Instead of defending himself, John is learning to say: “Yep. That's me. God, I need Your help.” Psalm 32 describes the blessed person as someone “in whose spirit is no deceit.” Then John tells the extraordinary story of Tom Tarrants, a violent white supremacist and KKK terrorist who was imprisoned in Mississippi. In prison, Tarrants encountered the words of Jesus: “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” His life began to change. The man who once participated in racist terrorism eventually devoted himself to forgiveness, racial reconciliation, and serving the very people he once hated. How far can somebody fall and still be changed by God? Maybe much further than we imagine. So when your conscience shows you something today, don't immediately run. Don't defend. Don't hide. Ask: God, help me see the truth about myself. And then: Would You change me? In this episode: - Psalm 32 and honest confession - What happens when we become defensive - Dallas Willard on pain and reality - Why hiding the truth fragments us internally - David, Psalm 51, and forgiveness - The story of Tom Tarrants - Radical transformation from hatred to reconciliation - What it means to have “no deceit” in your spirit - How to respond to conviction - Why God's grace can change anyone Scriptures: Psalm 32 • Psalm 51 • Psalm 1 • Matthew 16:26 • 2 Samuel 11–12 #Psalm32 #JohnOrtberg #Forgiveness #Psalms #Transformation #SpiritualFormation #Confession #ChristianFaith #Grace #BibleStudy 🙌 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 connect@becomenew.com 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 DOWNLOAD FREE STUDY GUIDES: BecomeNew.com/study-guides 😊 Join Our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CnqywVp9s/ 🤳Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/become.new/ Music Credits: Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF 00:00 The Power God Has to Change You 00:36 When Someone Tells You the Truth About Yourself 01:00 Stop Defending Yourself 01:26 What Do You Do With the Pain? 01:49 Psalm 32 & David's Repentance 02:20 Blessed After Going Down the Wrong Path 02:27 Forgiven and Changed 02:50 In Whose Spirit Is No Deceit 03:13 Pain Is Running Into Reality 03:34 When I Kept Silent 04:00 Why Sin Divides Us Inside 04:20 Confession & Forgiveness 04:36 How Far Down Can Someone Fall? 04:52 The Story of Tom Tarrants 05:26 A Violent KKK Terrorist 06:00 A Bible in a Mississippi Prison 06:29 Jesus Changes a Life 06:55 Enemies Praying Together 07:14 A Fraternity That Transcends All Others 07:37 The FBI Investigates His Conversion 08:10 From Hatred to Reconciliation 08:41 Forgiven People Can Help Others 09:03 The Truth About Me 09:21 The Lord's Unfailing Love Surrounds You 09:43 Don't Push the Truth Away 10:05 God, Help Me See Myself 10:23 Can God Change a Heart of Hatred? 10:33 Only God