The Lord calls out His children from darkness to light. He can transform a person’s life, no matter how hopeless, empty, and messy it may seem.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

*Joy, a college student who attends our church in Metro Manila, recounts how God brought light into her life.

Molestation and sexual violation are tragic events that I never thought would happen to me. I was molested by my stepfather, the person I thought would be my confidant and protector. When our family went through a difficult season, my stepfather became addicted to drugs and that drug brought us to the darkest times of my life.

At that point, I was devastated and angry. I also blamed myself for what happened. I thought, “If I did things differently in the past, I would never have experienced this.” My world turned black and no one ever understood what I went through. I was just waiting for my life to end because it felt like I was left with nothing.

Experiencing freedom in this painful battle of my life was hard, but not impossible. One of my friends invited me to a Victory group where I met Jesus. I survived the pain with the knowledge of God’s love toward me. I understood that no amount of tears or effort on my part could change what happened to me, but God can set me free and I can hold onto His promise of a good plan for my future.

Through my encounter with Jesus and the counsel of leaders in church, the darkness in my life turned into light. I also felt that a huge weight on me was lifted. From that time on, my perspective changed and I learned to appreciate my life even more. I became happy.

For those who also experienced what I went through, be strong and build your life on God’s truth. In Christ, we can do all things and overcome challenges. Don’t let your obstacles and past experiences limit you from experiencing joy. We have to deal with our past. It may be hard, but it’s worth a try. Jesus says in Matthew 5:44, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Prayer and the will to move forward are the keys to start a new path together with Christ our Lord. Jesus is our confidant and protector.

Joy now joyfully serves her family and our church. She decided to extend grace to the offender and forgive him. Before Joy came to know Christ, she was very distant toward her family. Now, she desires to bless them as she works while taking up a business course as a scholar. She dreams of managing a restaurant someday. As she continues to live her new life in God, she actively participates in a Victory group and volunteers in our campus ministry.

*Name has been changed to protect the identity of the woman in this article. The featured photo is a royalty-free image and does not represent her.