Colton Burpo became known around the world for the childhood encounter with heaven that inspired the bestselling book “Heaven Is for Real.” But behind the public testimony, Burpo faced a private battle that nearly overwhelmed him.
During a recent interview with Randy Kay, the now-27-year-old husband, father and worship pastor revealed that he struggled with his faith and identity during high school.
“I was not handling all the pressure and/or fame well,” Burpo said. “I was making some poor decisions, and it led to a period of my life where I had a very hard time even looking myself in the mirror.”
Burpo was still helping with youth group, preaching and publicly proclaiming Jesus. Privately, however, he knew his life did not match the message he was sharing.
“I felt like just a fraud,” he said. “I would be speaking and preaching and proclaiming the name of Jesus to people, but my personal life was terrible.”
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Burpo also struggled with ridicule and the expectations placed upon him. Yet God did not abandon him. The Lord used patient teachers, youth leaders and other believers who continued praying for him during that difficult season.
The Holy Spirit then taught Burpo that his relationship with God did not have to depend entirely upon the heavenly encounter he experienced at 3 years old.
“You don’t need to wait till heaven to encounter Me, Colton,” Burpo recalled the Lord revealing to him.
As Burpo prayed, studied Scripture and sought God, the Lord met him in his brokenness. Romans 8:1 became especially important: “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”
“That verse tremendously helped me,” Burpo said. “Did I make poor decisions? Yes. Can I become a better person overnight? Probably not. But can I be a better person today than what I was yesterday? Yes. OK. Baby steps.”
Burpo’s testimony offers encouragement to every Christian battling guilt over past failures. Our mistakes do not carry more authority than the blood of Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not leave us trapped in condemnation; He leads us into repentance, restoration and a renewed identity in Christ.
“God doesn’t leave us stuck in that shame cycle,” Burpo said. “We don’t have to be identified by our past mistakes.”
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
