While serving on a mission trip in Guatemala, I met a young man named Christopher whose story deeply touched my heart. As our team installed a wood stove in his humble home, he began to share the pain he had carried for years. Chris lost his mother as a teenager. That wound left a deep emptiness in his life. In an attempt to fill that void, he married young, hoping love would heal his broken heart. But after a short time, his wife left him. Two profound losses shaped his journey, and though he had been raised in church, he walked away from God, blaming Him for the sorrow he endured.
Chris believed God had abandoned him, yet Scripture tells us the opposite—God draws especially close in our deepest pain. The enemy had convinced him that loss meant rejection, but God’s Word declares that suffering does not separate us from His love. Romans 8:38–39 assures us, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8:38-39 (NKJ).
Standing in his small kitchen, surrounded by simple walls and the smell of wood smoke, I encouraged Chris to pray and begin restoring his relationship with God. God is a restorer. He does not erase our past, but He redeems it. I told Chris I would return to his village in a couple of days to see him again.
Two days later, I made the journey back. When Chris saw me, his face showed surprise and gratitude. He was deeply moved that I kept my promise. In that moment, I realized something powerful: consistency reflects the character of Christ. Numbers 23:19 reminds us, “God is not man, that he should lie… Has he said, and will he not do it?” (NKJ). When we follow through on our word, we mirror God’s faithfulness.
As we talked and prayed together, the Holy Spirit moved in Chris. With tears in his eyes, Chris rededicated his life to the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:17 came alive before us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (NKJ). The weight he had carried for years began to lift as he surrendered his pain back to God.
This experience reminds us that leading someone to Jesus requires more than a moment—it requires faithfulness. We plant seeds, but we must also water them (1 Corinthians 3:6). When we keep our promises, show up again, and walk alongside those who are hurting, we demonstrate the steadfast love of Christ.
God restores broken hearts. He redeems lost years. And He often uses simple acts of faithfulness to bring someone home. I plan to visit Chris in the future to encourage him even more. It is most important that we follow through on our promises.
Grover Duling, CBC Executive Board Chairman
