--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even you can’t tell yourself how to…" description: "\"“Even you can’t tell yourself how to change, because you didn’t create you. To love someone is to desire and work toward their becoming the best versio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/john-ortberg-932_becoming-the-best_even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-chan_2472084.png" --- # Even you can’t tell yourself how to change, because you… ![“Even you can’t tell yourself how to change, because you didn’t create you. To love someone is to desire and work toward their becoming the best version of themselves. The one person in all the universe who can do this perfectly for you is God. He has no other agenda. He has no unmet needs he is…” quote by John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/john-ortberg-932_becoming-the-best_even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-chan_2472084.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/john-ortberg-932_becoming-the-best_even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-chan_2472084.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/john-ortberg-932_becoming-the-best_even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-chan_2472084.png) > ““Even you can’t tell yourself how to change, because you didn’t create you. To love someone is to desire and work toward their becoming the best version of themselves. The one person in all the universe who can do this perfectly for you is God. He has no other agenda. He has no unmet needs he is hoping you can help him with. And he knows what the best version of you looks like. He delighted in the idea of it, and he is already working on it. The apostle Paul said, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Which means God is at work every moment to help you become his best version of you.”” [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True transformation comes from divine guidance and love, not self‑directed effort; God knows and works toward our best selves. **In simple terms:** God guides us to become our best. Key Takeaway Trust divine purpose in personal growth. Themes faith love spirituality Mood hopeful reflective Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - prayer - service - mindful living - community support Key Concepts theology self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern God’s direction? - What role does love play in spiritual growth? A Different Perspective Human effort alone cannot achieve true change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Becoming the best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming-the-best/) [Change your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-your-life/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Create Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-love-264029/) [Every moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-moment/) [God Is At Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-is-at-work/) [God Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-works/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-means/) [Means God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-god/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [“I believe God works through other people. So, if you think about that it means you are God for someone else. Every day, reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-dorfner/i-believe-god-works-through-other-people-so-if-you-think-about-that/) [Maria Dorfner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-dorfner/) > [To love someone is to desire and work toward their becoming the best version of themselves. The one person in all the universe who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/to-love-someone-is-to-desire-and-work-toward-their-becoming-the-best/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [God is love, if you don't love, it means that God is not within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ryan-violeta/god-is-love-if-you-don-t-love-it-means-that-god-is-not-within-you/) [John Ryan Violeta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ryan-violeta/) > [“To love someone means to see them as God intended them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/to-love-someone-means-to-see-them-as-god-intended-them/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“God is love, as Scripture says, and that means the revelation is in the relationship. 'God is love' means God is known devotionally, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/god-is-love-as-scripture-says-and-that-means-the-revelation-is-in-the/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [To love someone means to see him as God intended him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/to-love-someone-means-to-see-him-as-god-intended-him/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“In his brief theology of sleep, Scottish pastor John Baillie writes that in Christ, we “wake up better men than when we went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tish-harrison-warren/in-his-brief-theology-of-sleep-scottish-pastor-john-baillie-writes/) [Tish Harrison Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tish-harrison-warren/) > [Repentance always brings a person to the point of saying, “I have sinned.” The surest sign that God is at work in his life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/repentance-always-brings-a-person-to-the-point-of-saying-i-have/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“While you’re waiting, God wants you praying, drawing nearer to Him, and resting in the peace that He provides in the midst of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherie-hill/while-you-re-waiting-god-wants-you-praying-drawing-nearer-to-him-and/) [Cherie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherie-hill/) > [To derive the fullest comfort and encouragement from Romans 8:28 we must realize that God is at work in a proactive, not reactive, fashion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/to-derive-the-fullest-comfort-and-encouragement-from-romans-8-28-we/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [“We have witnessed in the 20th century a tremendous phenomenon: the birth of the modern State of Israel. ...God is at work with His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-otis-yoder/we-have-witnessed-in-the-20th-century-a-tremendous-phenomenon-the/) [J. Otis Yoder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-otis-yoder/) > [“God is at work telling a story of restoration and redemption through your family. Never buy into the myth that you need to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-joiner/god-is-at-work-telling-a-story-of-restoration-and-redemption-through/) [Reggie Joiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-joiner/) > [Regardless of the source of our pain, we must accept that God knows, God loves, and God is at work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/regardless-of-the-source-of-our-pain-we-must-accept-that-god-knows/) [Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/) > [“Waiting does not mean doing nothing . Waiting for the Lord means, "I know God is at work in this situation even though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-pritchard/waiting-does-not-mean-doing-nothing-waiting-for-the-lord-means-i-know/) [Ray Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-pritchard/) > [God is at work in the worst of times. He is at work doing a thousand things no one can see but him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/god-is-at-work-in-the-worst-of-times-he-is-at-work-doing-a-thousand/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) ## More by John Ortberg > [“What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-nothing-we-wait-we-remember/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [If we are serious about loving God, we must begin with people, all people. And especially we must learn to love those that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/if-we-are-serious-about-loving-god-we-must-begin-with-people-all/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The greatest bloodbaths in the history of the human race were recorded in the twentieth century in countries that sought to eliminate God, worship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-greatest-bloodbaths-in-the-history-of-the-human-race-were/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [There is no way for a human being to come to God that does not involve surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/there-is-no-way-for-a-human-being-to-come-to-god-that-does-not/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Will you keep going when you don't know why? When you can't get any answers that would make the pain go away, will you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/will-you-keep-going-when-you-don-t-know-why-when-you-can-t-get-any/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Death is the prerequisite to resurrection, the new life God intends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/death-is-the-prerequisite-to-resurrection-the-new-life-god-intends/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [From ancient times, the core idea of the soul is the soul is the capacity to integrate different functions into a single being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/from-ancient-times-the-core-idea-of-the-soul-is-the-soul-is-the/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/hurry-is-the-great-enemy-of-spiritual-life-in-our-day-you-must/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [In reality, each thought we have carries with it a little spiritual power, a tug toward or away from God. No thought is purely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/in-reality-each-thought-we-have-carries-with-it-a-little-spiritual/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The miracle of Sunday is that a dead man lives. The miracle of Saturday is that the eternal Son of God lies dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-miracle-of-sunday-is-that-a-dead-man-lives-the-miracle-of/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“The most important thing about you,” Dallas would often say, “is not the things that you achieve; it is the person that you become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-most-important-thing-about-you-dallas-would-often-say-is-not-the/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Jesus had a universal concern for those who suffered that transcended the rules of the ancient world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/jesus-had-a-universal-concern-for-those-who-suffered-that-transcended/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [God is a God of endless opportunities to do good; the God of the open door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-is-a-god-of-endless-opportunities-to-do-good-the-god-of-the-open/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [One of the most painful aspects of suffering is the loneliness of it. Others may offer support or empathy, but no one can walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/one-of-the-most-painful-aspects-of-suffering-is-the-loneliness-of-it/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) [Explore all 325 John Ortberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## More Becoming the best quotes > [Dont compare yourself with others. You will always find both greater and lesser people. Concentrate on becoming the best person possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-compare-yourself-with-others-you-will-always-find-both-greater/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The interest is growing. It's a snowball-effect and I can't see anybody getting in the way of England becoming the best place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hayes/the-interest-is-growing-it-s-a-snowball-effect-and-i-can-t-see/) [Emma Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hayes/) > [“Your suck is personal. It’s the complacency and comfort and the fears, insecurities, and excuses that keep you from becoming the best version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-green/your-suck-is-personal-it-s-the-complacency-and-comfort-and-the-fears/) [Nate Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-green/) > [Now here I am almost 52 years old, it's really easy. I'm way more at peace. But when you're a competitor, and you're as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-gibson/now-here-i-am-almost-52-years-old-it-s-really-easy-i-m-way-more-at/) [Kirk Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-gibson/) > [I'm so devoted to my music and becoming the best artist I can be. I don't want to devote too much time to anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/i-m-so-devoted-to-my-music-and-becoming-the-best-artist-i-can-be-i/) [Fabolous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabolous/) > [I'll continue to dedicate myself to learning from the people around me and work towards becoming the best version of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-francis/i-ll-continue-to-dedicate-myself-to-learning-from-the-people-around/) [Ben Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-francis/) > [“After deciding the territory you want to rule over, the next thing you must do is to invest your time into developing yourself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/after-deciding-the-territory-you-want-to-rule-over-the-next-thing-you/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I think we risk becoming the best informed society that has ever died of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-blades/i-think-we-risk-becoming-the-best-informed-society-that-has-ever-died/) [Ruben Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-blades/) > [It's never been about football, but about becoming the best and fullest person I could be. And to think that I went from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-oher/it-s-never-been-about-football-but-about-becoming-the-best-and/) [Michael Oher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-oher/) > [To love someone is to desire and work toward their becoming the best version of themselves. The one person in all the universe who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/to-love-someone-is-to-desire-and-work-toward-their-becoming-the-best/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [For me, becoming the best you can be in something that you love, like rowing, is incredibly challenging, and what you learn about yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-winklevoss/for-me-becoming-the-best-you-can-be-in-something-that-you-love-like/) [Tyler Winklevoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-winklevoss/) > [“When you invest more time into something than others, you become the best among equals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/when-you-invest-more-time-into-something-than-others-you-become-the/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I have spent my last few years training and aggressively becoming the best wrestler that I can and I will continue to do that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-rhodes/i-have-spent-my-last-few-years-training-and-aggressively-becoming-the/) [Brandi Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-rhodes/) > [I am all about self-improvement and becoming the best version of myself, it could be in my career, my finance, or just life in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-am-all-about-self-improvement-and-becoming-the-best-version-of/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I started in a very small tennis club in a South American country where I never thought about becoming the best tennis player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garbine-muguruza/i-started-in-a-very-small-tennis-club-in-a-south-american-country/) [Garbine Muguruza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garbine-muguruza/) [Browse all 40 Becoming the best quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming-the-best/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Even you can’t tell yourself how to change, because you didn’t create you. To love someone is to desire and work toward their becoming the best version of themselves. The one person in all the universe who can do this perfectly for you is God. He has no other agenda. He has no unmet needs he is hoping you can help him with. And he knows what the best version of you looks like. He delighted in the idea of it, and he is already working on it. The apostle Paul said, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” Which means God is at work every moment to help you become his best version of you.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ortberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-change-because-you-didn-t-create/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Becoming the best" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-change-because-you-didn-t-create/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/john-ortberg-932_becoming-the-best_even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-chan_2472084.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/john-ortberg-932_becoming-the-best_even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-chan_2472084.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97b/john-ortberg-932_becoming-the-best_even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-chan_2472084.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even you can’t tell yourself how to change, because you didn’t create you. To love someone is to desire and…” — John Ortberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Ortberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Even you can’t tell yourself how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-change-because-you-didn-t-create/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/even-you-can-t-tell-yourself-how-to-change-because-you-didn-t-create/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```