Why Your Mind Won’t Slow Down (and What to Do)

About this sermon

Everyone’s talking about mindfulness… but what if we’ve missed the most important part? What if the key isn’t your mind being focused—but God’s mind being focused on you? In this teaching on Psalm 8, John Ortberg explores a deeper kind of mindfulness—one that begins not with your attention, but with God’s. While we often struggle with distraction, anxiety, and rumination, Psalm 8 reveals something surprising: God is fully, constantly mindful of you. His attention never drifts. His care never wavers. Through reflection, Scripture, and guided prayer, this teaching invites you to step into praise, re-center your mind, and experience what it means to live in the awareness of God’s presence. You’ll also learn how to pray the Psalm—turning your attention from distraction to delight, and from anxiety to awe. 📚 Today's Resources: Thomas Merton, Praying the Psalms (1956) Mark Ralls, “Mindful: Psalm 8,” The Christian Century, 15 May 2007. Eugene Peterson, Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer (1991) C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms (1958) Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible (1940) Timothy Keller and Kathy Keller, The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions In the Psalms (2015) James W. Sire, Praying the Psalms of Jesus (2007) Walter Bruggeman, Praying the Psalms: Engaging Scripture and the Life of the Spirit (1995) 🙌 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/ 00:00 – Opening Prayer 00:18 – Learning to Pray the Psalms 00:42 – From Wisdom → Lament → Praise 01:02 – Do You Struggle With Your Mind? 01:27 – Resources on Praying the Psalms 02:17 – “Lord, Our Lord…” (Starting With God) 02:50 – What “God’s Name” Really Means 03:22 – God’s Glory in All the Earth 03:49 – The Power of Childlike Praise 04:25 – “What Is Mankind?” (The Big Question) 04:55 – Why Praise Feels So Empty Today 05:46 – Why We Struggle to Praise God 06:08 – Do You Actually Want God? 06:54 – No Blueprint for Ecstasy 07:23 – Practicing Attention and Reflection 07:54 – What Is Mindfulness (Really)? 08:20 – The Universe Exists in God’s Mind 08:42 – God Is Mindful of You 09:11 – The Acorn Illustration (Are You Paying Attention?) 09:54 – God Is Never Distracted 10:14 – Because God Is Mindful… We Can Be Too 10:25 – Practicing Presence (Breath + Spirit) 10:57 – “Present to the Presence in the Present” 11:15 – Why Psalm 8 Ends Where It Begins 11:32 – You Are Held in God’s Attention 11:52 – Seeing Others as Image Bearers 12:02 – Living With Joy, Gratitude, and Praise

Topics

• Spiritual Growth