Voddie Baucham: Brokenness

The Power of Brokenness: A Call to True Repentance

Thank you for joining me in prayer.

Heavenly Father, we are deeply grateful for this sacred moment in Your presence, gathered among Your people. Thank You for the opportunity to lift our hearts and voices to You—to worship, to reflect, and to acknowledge who You are and all You have done. We fix our minds and hearts on You in praise, declaring the truths we know and believe. And now, Lord, we come before You, ready to listen. Speak, for Your servants are listening.

Tonight, Lord, teach us the significance of brokenness. Help us understand why it is necessary, even vital, in our spiritual walk. Remind us that brokenness is not a place where You abandon us, but rather a process through which You transform us—shaping us into the image of Christ. In His name, we pray. Amen.

Much has been said about the necessity of brokenness, repentance, and a contrite heart. True repentance is like traveling down a road, only to experience a radical change—one that shifts our attitude, redirects our behavior, and ultimately turns us around. If repentance is the journey back to You, Lord, then brokenness is the moment You stop us in our tracks. It is the place where You open our eyes to the consequences of our sinful path. It is where we realize that our strength, wisdom, and efforts are painfully insufficient. In that moment, You break us—not to destroy us, but to rebuild us in Your image.

Yet, in today’s culture, brokenness is often rejected. Society teaches us that all discomfort is a problem to be eliminated. The world tells us there should be no room for suffering, no place for conviction, no need for sorrow over sin. Commercials ask, “Where does depression hurt?” and then prescribe solutions without addressing the deeper issue. While some truly struggle with mental health, many seek relief from guilt without repentance. Instead of recognizing the weight of their wrongdoing—whether dishonesty, betrayal, or sin—they look for quick fixes to ease their conscience.

This avoidance of brokenness is not just in the world—it has infiltrated the Church. Many believe that the moment they rededicate their lives to Christ, all struggles should disappear. There is no call for true repentance, no room for lament, no acknowledgment of the depth of sin. But Scripture does not shy away from this truth. James 5:1 warns, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.” Hebrews 10:31 reminds us, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Yet, some modern teachings reject these biblical warnings. Instead, they claim that guilt and conviction are remnants of an outdated religious system. This mindset is found in popular movements that say, “Come to Christ, and all will be well—no need for brokenness, no need for repentance.” Books like The Shack and certain influential teachers promote a God who never calls for true transformation. But the Gospel tells a different story—one that begins with brokenness and ends with redemption.

True faith requires us to embrace the refining fire of conviction. Brokenness is not the end; it is the beginning of renewal. God does not leave us in our shattered state—He remakes us into vessels of His glory.

Let us not run from brokenness but embrace it, knowing that through it, God shapes us into the image of Christ. Amen.

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