Restored and Made Strong. 1 Peter 5:10

Leon never planned to become an addict. Growing up, he promised himself he’d be different from his father, who drank away every paycheck. After high school, he got a job installing HVAC units. By 25, he was married with a baby on the way. Life felt stable—until he injured his back lifting a rooftop compressor.

Leon thought he had life under control—until one injury changed everything.

The doctor prescribed pain pills. At first, he took them only when needed. But as weeks turned into months, he felt he needed them just to get out of bed. Soon, he was going through prescriptions faster than his doctor allowed. When the refills stopped, he found pills on the street. His wife pleaded with him to quit, but he couldn’t. Their savings disappeared. Then she did too, taking their son to live with her mother.

Leon moved into a friend’s garage. Each morning he woke up on an old futon, staring at the exposed beams above, wondering how he’d become the man he hated. One evening, too sick to get more pills, he curled up on the concrete floor, shivering. Between dry heaves and tears, he whispered, “God, if You’re real, I can’t live like this anymore.”

The next morning, he stumbled into a church across the street. He smelled so bad that people moved away as he sat in the back pew. The pastor read 1 Peter 5:10: “And the God of all grace… after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Leon wept silently. He didn’t believe it could be true for him—but he wanted to.

After service, an older man named Richard walked up and handed him a card. “I run a sober house. You can stay there if you’re ready.” Leon moved in that night. The withdrawals nearly killed him, but each day he clung to that verse, repeating it through gritted teeth when the pain was worst.

God didn’t just sober Leon up—He restored him and made him strong.

Months later, Leon was sober, working again, and leading morning devotionals for other men in the house. One Friday, he looked in the mirror and saw clear eyes staring back. He whispered, “Thank You, God, for restoring me.”

Today, Leon is a licensed HVAC tech again, leads recovery groups at his church, and spends weekends with his son. He tells everyone, “God didn’t just clean me up—He restored me and made me strong, firm, and steadfast. He’ll do it for you too.”