--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God has decided, for his own good…" description: "\"God has decided, for his own good reasons, that people are not transformed outside of community.\" — John Ortberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/john-ortberg-932_community_god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons_359915.png" --- # God has decided, for his own good reasons, that people are… ![“God has decided, for his own good reasons, that people are not transformed outside of community.” quote by John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/john-ortberg-932_community_god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons_359915.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/john-ortberg-932_community_god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons_359915.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/john-ortberg-932_community_god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons_359915.png) > “God has decided, for his own good reasons, that people are not transformed outside of community.” [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. Transformation occurs within community, not in isolation. **In simple terms:** People change through relationships. Key Takeaway Seek supportive communities. Themes community transformation relationships Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - church groups - support circles - team projects - family gatherings Key Concepts social psychology collective growth Questions to Reflect On - How does community shape personal growth? - What community supports you? A Different Perspective Individual effort alone may be insufficient. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [You’ll never know that just sitting across a room full of people, I have transformed you into a goddess. A destroyer of despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/you-ll-never-know-that-just-sitting-across-a-room-full-of-people-i/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“Therefore a sage has said, 'I will do nothing (of purpose), and the people will be transformed of themselves;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/therefore-a-sage-has-said-i-will-do-nothing-of-purpose-and-the-people/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [The ideological and cultural revolutions have been promoted successfully in the countryside with the result that the ideological and spiritual qualities of our agricultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/the-ideological-and-cultural-revolutions-have-been-promoted/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [Religion today is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/religion-today-is-not-transforming-people-rather-it-is-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My foster parents were very religious. They told me that they had not decided to take me in, rather that it was God that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemn-sissay/my-foster-parents-were-very-religious-they-told-me-that-they-had-not/) [Lemn Sissay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemn-sissay/) > [First God created time; then God created man that man might, in the course of time, perfect himself; then God decided that He'd better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/first-god-created-time-then-god-created-man-that-man-might-in-the/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [God decided to create a species with whom he could have fellowship. Who are we to say that evolution was a dumb way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/god-decided-to-create-a-species-with-whom-he-could-have-fellowship/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) > [“It's like we're in a snow globe and God decided he wanted to see a blizzard so he shook us all the fug up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/it-s-like-we-re-in-a-snow-globe-and-god-decided-he-wanted-to-see-a/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [God decided when we would be born and when we would be born again. We have the Spirit and the Gospel. To think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/god-decided-when-we-would-be-born-and-when-we-would-be-born-again-we/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [“I didn't know the stakes at the start. But I do know now, and now is when God decided to let me know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/i-didn-t-know-the-stakes-at-the-start-but-i-do-know-now-and-now-is/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [Somewhere Some1 is surely made for you. AND God has decided a perfect time 2 make you meet that person. Till then, Enjoy your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/somewhere-some1-is-surely-made-for-you-and-god-has-decided-a-perfect/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“Pick something you aren't just able to do; instead, pick something you feel like you were made to do and then do lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/pick-something-you-aren-t-just-able-to-do-instead-pick-something-you/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“I am not interested in coming to a conclusion or finding the “right” answer, I’m interested in going on a lifelong journey with this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-maye/i-am-not-interested-in-coming-to-a-conclusion-or-finding-the-right/) [Ricky Maye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-maye/) > [When god decided to invent everything he took one reath bigger than a circustent and everything began](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/when-god-decided-to-invent-everything-he-took-one-reath-bigger-than-a/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [“It seems to me that when God decided he wanted to communicate with humankind, he could have come up with a much better plan.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-carson/it-seems-to-me-that-when-god-decided-he-wanted-to-communicate-with/) [Rae Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-carson/) ## 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 Community quotes > [Race is the idea that a human being is more superior than another human being, race in society grants illusional rights to mistreat each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/race-is-the-idea-that-a-human-being-is-more-superior-than-another/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) > [The strains and stresses suffered by the individual in society are grounded in the normal functioning of that society (and of the individual!) rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-marcuse/the-strains-and-stresses-suffered-by-the-individual-in-society-are/) [Herbert Marcuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-marcuse/) > [Hackney gets a bit of a bad rap, but it's the only place I've ever lived that felt like a community. I know my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-horgan/hackney-gets-a-bit-of-a-bad-rap-but-it-s-the-only-place-i-ve-ever/) [Sharon Horgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-horgan/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [We're at a point in history were we have to become a part of the neighborhood of inhabited planets, like a neighborhood of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/we-re-at-a-point-in-history-were-we-have-to-become-a-part-of-the/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [It rolls off my back. Ridicule doesn't mean anything - even from people you're supposed to wear knee pads around, like the scientific community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/it-rolls-off-my-back-ridicule-doesn-t-mean-anything-even-from-people/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [I think that most of us, anyway, read these stories that we know are not "true" because we're hungry for another kind of truth:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/i-think-that-most-of-us-anyway-read-these-stories-that-we-know-are/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) Sheila Kamerman > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) [Browse all 13,840 Community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God has decided, for his own good reasons, that people are not transformed outside of community.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ortberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons-that-people-are-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Community" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons-that-people-are-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/john-ortberg-932_community_god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons_359915.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/john-ortberg-932_community_god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons_359915.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99c/john-ortberg-932_community_god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons_359915.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God has decided, for his own good reasons, that people are not transformed outside of community.” — 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": "God has decided, for his own...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons-that-people-are-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-has-decided-for-his-own-good-reasons-that-people-are-not/#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 } } ] } ```