An Interview with a Victim of Other People’s Sin

Christians are not exempt from tribulation in this life. When you fall victim to someone else’s sin, how will you handle it? This interview, He Leadeth Me out of the Dark Place, gives us a perspective from a fellow Christian whose faith brought them through the darkest time they’ve ever faced and turned them from victim to victor.

Interviewer: Are you the victim of other people’s sin?

Guest: Yes, about 20 years ago.

Interviewer: How did you cope?

Guest: When you come to a point in your life when all you have is your faith and trust in God, that is what will carry you through. Even in the worst of times, with God, you will be able to bear it. Nothing else can rescue you. Nothing else can soothe you and comfort you.

Interviewer: Did you forgive them?

Guest: Yes. I forgave as the Lord commanded, and it helped ease the pain of seeing myself as a victim and remove that burden of harboring blame and anger toward them. I lived and still live with the consequences of that experience every day. But exclusive reliance on God has given me great comfort day by day. This reliance on God makes me see His blessings more clearly.

Interviewer: How has this experience affected your faith?

Guest: I thank God for allowing me to experience the life He has given me with all of its joys and sorrows. I know everything in this life is temporary, so I don’t cling to any particular thing other than love for God and family. I see it as a privilege to experience all that life brings on. Every experience is a new adventure. How will I handle each situation? Will I rely on my own strength to get me through or rely on God’s strength? God always has a better idea, so I’ve learned to ask for His guidance in all things no matter how big or small.

Interviewer: Was there a life-changing moment for you?

Guest: Yes. I have been a Christian for decades, but it wasn’t until this happened that I drew closer to God as never before. Even as I was going through this experience, I thought I was doing what God would have wanted me to do. But then I realized I was handling everything in my own strength and not exclusively relying on God to handle the situation.

There was a point where I gave up fighting the uphill battle. It seemed that all was against me, and I felt crushed and suffocated by the enormity of the situation. Sometimes you come to a place so low that there are no other options or help for you. I was exhausted, so I gave up. It was at that moment when I literally let go and let God. I said, “Lord, please help me. I turn it ALL over to you.”

You know, God does have a sense of humor in any situation. I actually heard Him speak to me. Immediately, He said, “It’s about time you let me handle this.” Whoa, what a wake-up call that was! Every time I think of it, it gives me goosebumps, and I crack a smile. Indeed, God handled it in His own time, and everything worked out just the way He wanted, and it was because I let Him. Every detail was His work. He led me through the deep waters and comforted me every step of the way.

Interviewer: What have you gained from this experience?

Guest: To see God at work and what He can do in my life has left an indelible impression on me. I KNOW He cares for me every minute of the day, and I have never lost sight of that. Through thick and thin, we walk together, and I would not have it any other way.

Interviewer: Was there a particular scripture that helped you?

Guest: Yes, Psalm 23 and the Book of Job. Looking back, I called Job my best friend. He knew exactly what I was going through. Sure, I’ve studied and been familiar with the Book of Job for years, but it was incredible what was revealed to me in my time of need. Studying the scriptures is a wonderful thing, and you gain a lot of knowledge, but when you are in dire straits, the scriptures seem to speak directly to your soul in a way that cuts through all the clutter and diversion of this world. That’s the best way I can describe it. Job helped me see that ONLY my faith in God will get me through my situation.

Interviewer: Has your experience helped others?

Guest: I’d like to think so. While going through this experience, God showed me on three different occasions that I should join a particular support group – once when I was in a self-help section of a bookstore I found a business card, then a counselor recommended it, and then an attorney advised me to attend. I am not the kind of person to join such groups, but I did, not because I felt I needed to, but I was told that it would look good legally if I did. Okay, that seemed like a logical reason to me, so I did.

I sat through the four different phases of shock, anger, depression, and acceptance. Individuals aired their painful experiences, and I could see that I was handling my experience in a much better, healthier way through faith. I shared what got me through, and ended up attending the group for years and sharing my story. People would seek me out to have one-on-one discussions. At one point, the support group director asked me to be the spokesperson for a local news exclusive. I did, and it aired on a Miami-based nightly news broadcast.

Later, the director was going to retire and asked me if I would run the support group. I could not at that time. But after all these years, I remain friends with some members of that group. I’d like to think that telling others that my faith in God is what got me through has helped them. I thank God that He used me as a light to others who were going through such painful experiences.

Interviewer: Is there anything you’d like others to take away?

Guest: You may think you are doing everything right and will not be touched by a dark or dire circumstance. That may be the case until it isn’t. Are you prepared? If you are not a Christian, your experience will be more painful than it needs to be. If you are a Christian, make your faith work for you. You may be tempted to try and control situations in your own strength and struggle through them, but you already possess the most powerful tool, your faith. Use it. Humble yourself and rely exclusively on God to lead you through everything every day. Only then will you see and know how much God will do for you. Just let Him.

Interviewer: I want to thank you for sharing your experience with our audience. If you need spiritual counseling for an unbearable circumstance you are going through, we recommend reaching out to your local church and speaking with the pastor. Don’t wait. They are there to help.