Hani had always felt a void in his life, but he hadn’t found anything to fill it.

Then one morning in a busy café, Hani met Matt, a Frontiers worker. As they chatted, Hani shared that he was searching for some truth to fill his life. Matt pulled a Bible out of his backpack and gave it to Hani.

“Start reading with the book of Luke,” Matt suggested. “And let’s meet again soon to discuss what you find.”

When they met two weeks later, Hani had already read through all four Gospels. Matt asked him what he had discovered, and Hani quoted several verses about Jesus’ promise to fill our lives.

“But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

“I want to drink the water that truly fills,” Hani said. “I’m convinced God’s Word is the truth. Jesus offers the peace I’ve been searching for!.” The thought of inheriting this peace for eternity left Hani feeling overjoyed.

Following Christ, however, could come at a cost. Hani knew he might be separated from his wife, children, and community. He might lose his job—even his life. Hani went away feeling sobered, wondering if he could really embrace Jesus if it meant losing everything he held dear in this life.

But the next time the two met, Hani said, “I read in the Word that as a follower of Jesus, I now need to be baptized.” Matt was surprised. The last time they talked, Hani was just beginning to wrestle with the cost of becoming a disciple of Christ.

“Wait, you’ve decided?” Matt asked. “You’re now a follower of Jesus?”

Hani nodded. “Reading the Bible, I realized that either you follow Him, or you don’t,” he said. “It’s that simple. So, I chose to follow Him. I know there is no other way to find peace with God than to follow Christ.”

Hani might still lose his family and his job. But he also knows that he is a new creation in Christ. Where his life once felt empty, he’s now filled with joy and peace.

Praise God for working in Hani’s life! He and Matt meet regularly to study God’s Word, and Hani was recently baptized.

• Pray for Hani to continue growing in his love for Christ and in knowledge of the Word.
• Ask the Lord to surround Hani with friends who want to study the Bible—and pray that many discover the truth of Christ.
• Pray for workers like Matt as they help Muslim background believers grow in faith and bold witness.

**This account comes from a long-term worker. Names have been changed for security.**

Main photo by Chaoyue Pan

Original article: https://www.frontiersusa.org/blog/filling-the-emptiness