What if your life is already headed in a direction… and you didn’t choose it?
Psalm 1 says there are only two ways to live and only one leads to flourishing.
In this opening teaching of a new series on the Psalms, John Ortberg invites us into one of the most important questions we can ask: What is my way of life leading to?
Psalm 1 describes a person who is “blessed”—not just happy, but deeply rooted, steady, and flourishing. And it contrasts that life with another path we can slowly drift into without even noticing. Through reflection, story, and guided prayer, this teaching helps you examine your own direction and begin to re-center your life around God.
You’ll also be invited to actually pray the Psalm—to let it shape your thoughts, your desires, and your daily decisions.
📚 Today's Resources:
Thomas Merton, Praying the Psalms
Markham Heid, “The Number of Words You Say in a Day is Shrinking,” Time, 28 April 2026.
McKay Coppins, “Sucker: My Year as a Degenerate Gambler,” The Atlantic, 12 March 2026
Music Credits:
Vikersund by RØRE - MB01V0UASAACPKE
Alta by RØRE - MB01IWZVJASGKHF
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00:00 – Opening Prayer: “May the words…”
00:22 – Why Prayer Matters to God
01:25 – The Psalms: Every Emotion with God
02:41 – Why the Psalms Transform Us
03:02 – Do You Need Wisdom Right Now?
03:32 – What Does “Blessed” Really Mean?
04:18 – Everyone Has a Way of Life
04:44 – Flourishing vs. Drifting
05:09 – The Danger of Slow Drift
05:40 – Walking → Standing → Sitting (The Progression)
06:29 – Modern Life Is Forming You (More Than You Think)
07:13 – Even “Religious” Lives Can Miss This
07:40 – The Tree Planted by Water
08:10 – What It Means to Meditate on God
08:52 – Training Your Mind to Delight
09:21 – What You Fill Your Mind With Shapes You
09:43 – Two Ways to See People: Exploit or Love
10:35 – The “Wicked” vs “Righteous” (In All of Us)
10:58 – Guided Prayer: Ask God for Flourishing
11:37 – Where Do You Need Wisdom Today?
