USA (MNN) — God can use addiction and suffering to point us to Himself.
Brandon Bower with the Biblical Life Recovery Center, “The Lighthouse,” says that God uses suffering to sanctify us and set us apart for His glory.
“God uses our struggles to grow us, not to punish us,” Bower says.
In the context of addiction, Bower says that is why the struggle is continual.
“Scripture tells us that we all have sins that so easily beset us,” Bower says. “We all struggle with different sins. Some of us, it’s eating, some of us it’s things like pornography or addiction, but we all have that one sin that we go back to for comfort, for satisfaction, for meaning.”
Addiction is just one of many sins, but because of the effects of drugs and chemical reactions in the body, it can cause different reactions, and people can develop dependence on them, making addiction so difficult to overcome.
While our sins are a lifelong struggle, there is value in learning to deal with them by turning to God rather than to sin and by bringing others into the healing process rather than isolating ourselves.
Bower says it’s a question of who we are going to worship.
“Are we worshiping ourselves? Our own satisfaction?” Bower asks. “Or are we worshiping the God who created us and loves us and has our best interests in mind?”
God does not approve of sin, but He has the power to use it to guide, direct, and grow us.
“I think some people see suffering as a sin,” Bower says. “They see it as that I’m not strong enough, or if I grow more spiritually, I won’t struggle, or God must be disappointed in me, or victory means I will never struggle again. And I think we need to reset our focus, that struggle doesn’t mean you’re not growing in victory. Often it looks like a continual fight of faith.”
The Lighthouse residential program can last from 30 days up to 2 years, depending on the needs of each of the men.
There, Bower says, residents learn Bible literacy, and that temptation isn’t sin. Sin is giving in to temptation.
Beginning with the gospel, men in the program learn that “We are all low-down, dirty-dog sinners, but God loves us, and He created a cosmic plan to rescue our souls by sending His Son Jesus to earth to live a perfect life and to die a painful death. In exchange, He gives us His righteousness and takes our sins, and that’s the greatest gift that we can ever receive.”
Diving into deeper theological questions, the program addresses things like temptation, lust, idols, and that God allows these struggles.
“He allows struggles to expose idols, to be able to direct our hearts, to point them towards Him,” Bower says.
The ministry does evangelistic and discipleship work, introducing residents to Jesus and sharing the love of the Father with them.
Post-program, the ministry continues to stay in touch with these men, continuing to point them in the right direction.
“The love of God radically changes hearts, and that’s what we’re seeking to do,” Bower says. “We’re seeking to introduce people to Jesus, who is Love, who is Transformation, and then, as we’re doing that, building in spiritual disciplines and encouraging and equipping them to live life in a proper, God-honoring way, that glorifies Him.”
To learn more about the Lighthouse or if you know someone interested in the program, reach out via phone or email.
Bower says people can also share the information via social media so that people can hear the hope of the gospel that’s happening at The Lighthouse.
Please pray that the people who need this discipleship will be connected with The Lighthouse’s services and that they will receive the love of Christ in a way that makes a tangible difference in their lives.
Representative photo of a man praying over his Bible (photo courtesy of Malachi Cowie via Unsplash)
