USA (MNN) — One tactic of spiritual warfare is convincing people that some individuals are beyond love. That is a daily reality in ministry to those struggling with addiction.
Brandon Bower of The Lighthouse says serving people in recovery can be incredibly difficult, but it is what God calls believers to do.
Bower recalls a young man named Chris who battled multiple addictions: “Chris actually stole money from us, and the process of forgiving him for stealing that money rocked his world and Chris is now hungry for God’s word.”
Representative photo: praying over a man (photo courtesy of
Jon Tyson via Unsplash)
Later, Bower walked into a room and found Chris reading his Bible. “He looked up, smiled, and said, ‘This is so amazing — what God’s done for me,’” Bower says.
Though Chris still faces the challenges of recovery, Bower says the transformation following that incident was remarkable and points to a bigger truth: “All believers have a responsibility to care for the broken,” just as Christ cared for them in their brokenness.
Another example is Matt, a man whose poor hygiene made him unwelcome in local churches. After repeated rejection, he eventually came to The Lighthouse.
“Some of the first things we talked about were that big guys have to shower, and you have to shower well,” Bower says.
The team lovingly taught Matt how to care for himself. By looking past outward appearance, they saw the value of his soul and encouraged him in recovery. Bower says showing Christ’s love is often practical — helping people relearn hygiene, daily habits, and emotional control.
At the heart of it all, Bower says, “If we’re not loving others well, we’re not representing Christ well.”
But what if loving someone feels difficult? He says acts of love can be simple:
“Sit down with coffee. Read a book together. Buy them donuts and just show them you love them.”
Pray believers would faithfully show Christ’s love to broken people in their communities, even when it feels uncomfortable or difficult. Pray also for The Lighthouse team as they engage in spiritual battles for each person they serve.
Visit The Lighthouse to learn more about how they walk alongside people on the journey to recovery.
Header representative photo: group of friends (photo courtesy of Thomas Benedetti via Pexels).
