King David wrote, “A broken and contrite heart, you, God, will not despise.” Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, making it more valuable than before. This is what God does for us: He restores our brokenness and makes us whole in a way that is even more precious.
When Broken Doesn’t Mean Beyond Repair
King David said, “A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). Those words come from a man who knew the weight of failure—and the wonder of mercy. David discovered what we all must: that brokenness isn’t the end of our story; it’s often the place where God begins His greatest work.
In his message “The Art of Broken Pieces,” Dan Barkley invites us to see our flaws not as shameful marks to hide but as sacred places where God’s grace shines through.
The Beauty of Kintsugi: Brokenness Made Whole
In Japan, there is an ancient art called Kintsugi—the practice of repairing cracked pottery with gold. Instead of hiding the damage, the artist highlights it, filling the fractures with something precious. The result? The piece becomes more beautiful and valuable than it was before.
That’s exactly what God does in the life of a believer. He doesn’t discard the broken pieces. He restores them with His glory. He fills the cracks of our hearts with mercy and grace, transforming what was shattered into something sacred.
What was once broken now bears the beauty of redemption.
The Gospel in the Gold
When God repairs us, He doesn’t just put us back together—He redefines who we are. Through the cross, Jesus took the fragments of our sin, shame, and regret and covered them with the gold of His blood and love.
Like Kintsugi, the cracks don’t disappear—they tell the story of restoration. Every scar becomes a testimony of God’s grace. Every imperfection becomes an invitation to worship.
In the words of Dan Barkley:
“Your flaws are not your failure—they’re your proof that you need a Savior.”
What This Means for You
In the fast-paced culture of North Dallas—where image, success, and perfection are prized—God offers a different way: wholeness through humility.
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Your broken heart can become a masterpiece.
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Your mistakes can become your ministry.
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Your pain can become the place God paints His glory.
When we surrender the pieces of our lives to Him, God doesn’t hand us back what we had—He gives us something better. The gold of His grace holds it all together.
A Community of Restored People
At North Cities, we believe the church is not a gallery of perfect people—it’s a workshop of restoration. Every testimony is a Kintsugi story in progress. Every healed heart is a piece of divine art.
If you’ve ever felt too broken for God to use, remember this: the cracks are where His light gets in. And the same God who restored David will restore you—stronger, wiser, and more beautiful than before.
