Hi everyone!
My name is Brandon, and I have the privilege of working behind the scenes with the Become New team. I get to think about, organize, and often write the Blogs. Today, I want to get personal and talk about John’s new book Steps.
I was given an advanced copy of the book, and it surprised me. John’s quality of insight, spiritual depth, and relatable writing was not a surprise at all. What was a surprised was how much I needed to read this book. I don’t think of myself as an addict, so there was a cynical part of me that assumed that this book would be good but for someone just not me. What I learned is that I am addicted to control. I have such a tight grip on my life that I exclude God only to find myself stuck, confused, and lost. Steps gave me the tools to recognize where I stop and where God begins.
What follows are some personal reflections from Steps that I hope will inspire you to make some changes and (if you are so compelled) buy the book and learn your own lessons.
The Power of Powerlessness
First, Steps taught me that I had to admit defeat. I had to own my weaknesses. This was not very fun, but it was necessary. This book isn’t about quick fixes or self-help slogans, it’s about ownership, admonition, and acceptance. Through the process of accepting powerlessness there is a new aspect of God’s strength that is revealed.
Early in the book, John shares a story that struck me like lightning. While studying to become a clinical psychologist and preaching at a Baptist church, he fainted not once, but multiple times right in the middle of his sermons. Imagine that! Public speaking is scary enough without the fear of losing consciousness, not to mention the sheer helplessness of not knowing when the next blackout is coming. But instead of trying harder to control the situation, John learned to lean into his weakness. He literally placed a chair on the stage during his sermons, ready to sit down when he felt faint. That chair became a symbol of surrender a physical acknowledgment that he couldn’t run the show. I found it to be a powerful reminder to stop trying to control everything and make space for God to step in.
The Fellowship of the Withered Hand
Later on, in the book John tell the story of a man with a withered hand. If you have been around the Become New community for a while, you might be familiar with this story because it is foundational for how we think about change. For those who are unfamiliar, it’s the story of a man who didn’t ask Jesus for healing maybe because he’d given up hope or was too ashamed. But Jesus saw him, called him to stand in front of everyone, and asked him to stretch out his hand. The very thing he couldn’t do.
Yet, he did.
This is the “Fellowship of the Withered Hand”. A community of people who have been called to do what they couldn’t without Jesus. A people who no longer hide their pain and brokenness. This fellowship is about humility, not boasting, grace not grandiosity, love not shame. It’s about showing up with your weaknesses exposed and discovering that those weaknesses can be the gateway to true changed.
I am in the Fellowship. I have been changed by Jesus. I also have a withered hand that cannot transformed without God’s help. The moments when I’ve been most honest about my sin and failures are the moments when I’ve felt God’s grace most powerfully. It’s in the revealing, not the concealing, that healing begins.
Letting Go to Let God
Reading Steps forced me to confront my own desire to control. Like many, I’ve spent years trying to manage my circumstances, fix my flaws, and perfect my faith. But John’s message is clear: spirituality isn’t a skill to master; it’s a life to be lived. And that life begins with the humble acknowledgment that we are not in control God is.
There are no promises of an easy road. Do not read this book if you are looking for tidy solutions to life’s messiness. Instead, it invites us to take one step at a time, trust in God’s grace, and keep showing up with honestly even when we feel inadequate. It’s about stretching out our withered hands, believing that God can do what we cannot.
An Invitation to the Journey
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, broken, or powerless, or too in control of your own life, Steps offers a way forward. It’s a guide for anyone who’s tired of trying to run the show and ready to let God take the lead.
I invite you to read Steps. But I encourage you to do more than don’t just read it, live it. Find a community where you can be honest about your struggles. Embrace your weaknesses. And take that first step toward the life God has for you.
Because sometimes, the best way to move forward is to admit you can’t do it alone.
To dive deeper into these transformative lessons, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Steps by John Ortberg. Let it guide you, one step at a time, toward the life you were meant to live.
