USA (MNN) — Approximately 50 million people in the United States are addicted to some type of tobacco product. Even Christians take up the habit and can’t let it go.
Brandon Bower with The Lighthouse says, “Often people say, ‘Marijuana is a gateway drug.’ I’d say, ‘Yes, but nicotine is the gateway drug that leads to other things.’
“Scripture will say, like in (1) Corinthians 6, ‘Everything is permissible. But not everything is beneficial.’ So when we’re thinking about things like smoking and nicotine, we’ve got to understand that, well, it may not be sin, it is probably not the wisest thing.”
The Lighthouse offers a holistic addiction recovery process founded on Scripture.
(Graphic courtesy of The Lighthouse)
The Lighthouse helps people in addiction apply biblical principles to their struggles.
“We would consider that nicotine addiction would be a mastery of our hearts. Scripture says God has some guardrails in our life, designed to protect us for our good, for His glory,” Bower says.
“When a Christian steps out of these guardrails, then we see sin enter. At the Lighthouse, we really talk about those heart issues driving the sinful behavior.”
The Lighthouse comes alongside people like Pat, a retired pastor from Texas.
“(Pat) started really struggling with some life-altering issues,” says Bower. “He came in to be with us for seven months. You saw God radically change his heart. He said, ‘I’ve helped people for so many years. I needed a moment just to take some time and and reconnect with God and let people help me.’”
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, reach out to The Lighthouse for hope and help from God’s Word.
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Umit Bulut via Unsplash.
