The Soul Winner's Crown

**This podcast is taken from our Global Video Report: EMPOWER CONNECT January 2025 Edition**

A Broken and Contrite Heart

Scripture: Psalm 51, Isaiah 57:15, Hebrews 3:12 – 13, 1 John 1:7 – 9

RON:
Hello friends.

I’m bringing you greetings from Southeast Asia, specifically from the shores of Vietnam. I’m here on a trip, interviewing national church-planting leaders across several countries. It’s a privilege to be with you today from this beautiful place.

Seeing the Church Up Close

One of the greatest blessings of these trips is getting to see into the lives and hearts of the workers God has raised up around the world. As I listen to them, certain characteristics become very clear. They are so consistent, so evident, that when I go back to the Word of God, I see those same traits described in Scripture. One of those traits is something I want to talk about today: Contrition. 

What Is Contrition?

Contrition is part of repentance. It means to be broken over sin. To be deeply aware that we have offended a holy God. It is not just regret. It is not just fear of consequences. It is a heart that is crushed, humbled, and turned toward God. A theological way to describe it is this: It is the grief that comes when the Holy Spirit reveals our sin to us. When we truly see ourselves as we are, that realization produces sorrow. It produces honesty. It produces a cry for mercy. And this theme runs all through Scripture.

David: A Broken Heart Before God

One of the clearest examples is found in Psalm 51. After David’s sin was exposed, he did not try to justify himself. Instead, he wrote: ​“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” David understood something important. God did not want outward religion. He wanted a broken and honest heart. That was the sacrifice God was looking for.

The Gift of Forgiveness

Now, in the Old Testament, a person needed a priest or prophet to confirm forgiveness. But in the New Testament, that assurance is given to us directly through the Word of God. 1 John tells us: ​“If we walk in the light… the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.” ​“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This means we are not meant to live under constant guilt.

God cleanses us.
He restores us.
He sets us free.

From Grief to Joy

But here is what I am seeing around the world. Among believers in Southeast Asia and beyond, that initial contrition is very real. When they share their testimonies, you can see it. You can hear it. They remember clearly who they were without Christ. I listened to one brother yesterday who spoke about his past. He had been a gambler, a drunkard, someone who had wasted everything. As he spoke, he kept saying, ​“I’m sorry, Lord. I’m sorry.” Not in shame. But in honesty. And then, as he continued, you could see the change. The grief gave way to victory. And the victory gave way to joy. This is the pathway: From grief To contrition To victory To joy

God Draws Near to the Contrite

Isaiah 57:15 says: ​“I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble.” Think about that. The God who is high and exalted chooses to dwell with the contrite. He restores them. He revives them. He brings peace.

The Danger of a Hardened Heart

But there is also a warning. Hebrews tells us to be careful not to develop a hardened heart. It says: ​“Encourage one another daily… so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” This is one of our greatest dangers, especially in the West. Sin does not always appear obvious. It creeps in slowly. It deceives. And over time, it hardens the heart. We lose sensitivity to God. We lose humility. We lose that sense of gratitude for what He has done.

Vietnam: A Faith That Endures

I remember being here in Vietnam years ago, sitting in a hotel by the ocean, interviewing workers. One man came in who was an evangelist. He was beaten regularly for his faith. Authorities would beat him for hours, yet he kept going back. But what struck me most was not the persecution. It was his testimony. When he spoke about his salvation, his face changed. He said, ​“Jesus saved me. I was such a sinner.” He listed his sins, not to glorify them, but to acknowledge the truth. You could see the pain of what he had been. But then you could see the joy of what God had done. And he said something I will never forget. ​“I carry that with me every day when I go out to preach. I look at people who are like I was. That gives me motivation.”

What True Contrition Produces

This is what contrition produces. Not shame. Not defeat. But motivation. A desire to see others set free. Around the world, we are seeing believers who remember where they came from. And because of that, they cannot stay silent. They tell their families. They tell their neighbours. They tell anyone who will listen: ​“You don’t have to live like this anymore.”

A Call to Return

This is the pathway God invites us into. To come honestly. To repent.
To receive forgiveness. And to walk in freedom. Jesus cleanses. Jesus restores. Jesus brings new life.

A Final Encouragement

So I encourage you today: Do not allow your heart to grow hard. Stay tender before the Lord. Remain humble. Remember what He has done for you. And walk in the joy of His forgiveness.