Renewal in the Midst of Brokenness

CFP's Joseph Bucci: "I was thinking about you, as well as some of my own frustrations with the path that God has me on, when I received a lovely message from my wife.";

Joseph J. Bucci , Bio and Archives--June 27, 2026

Cover Story | Comments | Reader Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us

There is sometimes in our experience a place of despair – somewhere between the overwhelming circumstances of life and our own bad choices. It could be that we have done nothing wrong, or everything wrong. The storm of circumstance around us dredges up thoughts of inadequacy, and we measure ourselves against the storm rather than against the God who stands outside of it. We are filled with questions: How did this happen? How did I get here? Is God punishing me?

The Psalmist David knew this place well. In Psalm 139:23‑24 (The Message) he writes:

“Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—then guide me on the road to eternal life.”

In this place are feelings of isolation and overwhelming guilt. David describes it as a place of fear, disquieting thoughts, and volatile emotion – but also as an opportunity for careful self-examination: Is there any painful or grievous tendency in me? I need a clear view of the way forward (Ps. 139:24).

John Bunyan captured this place of the soul in his classic allegory Pilgrim’s Progress (1678). His “Slough of Despond” is an illusory deep bog in which the protagonist Christian sinks under the weight of sin and guilty conscience. Thomas (1964), in his modern paraphrase, describes it as the low ground where doubt, fear, and discouraging apprehension gather when a sinner first becomes awakened by the Holy Spirit and sees his own vile condition. The bog is a fitting image: one does not simply cross it – one settles into it.

Two truths stand in parallel:

First, the Bible speaks plainly and often about a real place of humility and despondency – a place of Brokenness. Second, when the Bible speaks of brokenness, it also speaks of God drawing near:

Psalm 34:18 – The........

© Canada Free Press