Dr. Karl Benzio of Lighthouse Network Says the Indescribable Loss of Losing a Friend, Jesus, on the Cross Blinded All Hope
Philadelphia, PA—Christians have heard the Easter story over and over, and some very meaningful and emotional portrayals have helped us to feel the sadness, grief, anger and confusion that must have come with that time.
But imagine being one of Jesus’ friends or family members when he was crucified, especially since they had no idea a resurrection was ahead. No loss we can think of today would perhaps match the suffering felt that day.
Karl Benzio, M.D. is the founder, executive director and a psychiatrist at the Lighthouse Network, an addiction and mental health referral program that also provides the Lighthouse Addiction Helpline , a free, 24-hour counseling helpline. He says that loss of a loved one is often at the root of our mental, physical and even emotional difficulties, mainly because in our grief, we are unable to see the hope of the future, the plan that God might have through the death of a loved one.
Benzio says that Jesus’ friends and family were unable to see the victory during that very dark weekend. They most likely felt very far from God, separated from His love and protection, focusing on the past and perhaps what they could have done to change the present.
“God promises that despite all these obstacles of life, you can have overwhelming victory through Christ,” he added. “Come to Him for help and forgiveness. If you let Christ in, nothing—absolutely nothing—can separate you from His love. No reason all that stuff from the past should steal another minute of your joy and happiness. A victory doesn’t just mean to win. It means a decisive win—a win that leaves no doubt.”
Benzio says that grief is a natural human emotion, and we are entitled to grieve when we experience loss, but that grief shouldn’t become the basis of how we look at life.
“Although it is normal to grieve our losses, it is easy to have this grief become the main lens through which we see ourselves, our future, and especially God,” Benzio said. “This distorted viewpoint will dramatically affect our functioning and decision-making. Instead, we need to choose to concentrate on the relationships, abilities and opportunities that are still ours. In all things, we should strive to view life and God through truthful lenses instead of emotionally distorted ones.”
Lighthouse Network is a Christian-based addiction and mental health social service agency founded in 2003, guiding struggling people through storms to find peace. Lighthouse finds answers for people who have a hard time defining their particular problem and who also have difficulty finding the right answers from other often-confusing sources.
Many discover the Lighthouse Addiction Helpline after searching through other options that may not be a fit, and many are encouraged as Lighthouse Network finds life-changing treatment that altogether addresses spirit, mind and body, concerning addiction or psychiatric issues.
Lighthouse Network offers several resources for those struggling with addiction, as well as for their families, including Stepping Stones, a free daily devotional for managing life’s stressors and storms and equipping readers with healthy decision-making skills. Visit https://www.lighthousenetwork.org/content/about-us/daily-devotionals to read the devotionals and sign up to receive them daily via email.
For more information on Lighthouse Network, visit www.lighthousenetwork.org or call toll-free (844) 543-3242.
To schedule interviews with Dr. Karl Benzio at Lighthouse Network, contact Deborah Hamilton at dhamilton@hamiltonstrategies.com, 215-815-7716 or 610-584-1096.
Lighthouse Network is a Christian-based, non-profit organization that offers a mental health and addiction referral program and helpline that strives to equip people and organizations with the skills necessary to shine God’s glory to the world, stand strong on a solid foundation in the storms of their own lives, and provide guidance and safety to others experiencing stormy times, thus impacting their lives, their families and the world.
Dr. Karl Benzio, M.D. is the founder and executive director of Lighthouse Network. With a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, Benzio went on to medical school and then specialized in psychiatry. His experiences include teaching pastors, ministry leaders and students counseling and conflict resolution skills in Uganda and Kenya; leading a behavioral health team into post-Hussein Iraq to equip health care specialists with treatment and assessment skills; and successfully testifying for Pennsylvania House of Representatives opposing legislation for Plan B contraception administration and for President George Bush’s Council on Bioethics regarding Right of Conscience. His specialties include Adolescents, Addictions, Decision-Making, Infusing Spirituality into Practical Treatment Modalities, and the Ramifications of Decision-Making on Social Policy.