UNSHACKLED! Daily Devotionals - Daily Devotionals: The Wrong Source

0:00September 14th, the wrong source. If God is good, why do bad things, horrific things even, take place all around us? Maybe you've been asked this question before, or maybe you've even asked it yourself. We witness those around us suffering in what seems to be a doggy dog world. When faced with the vast amount of human anguish, we can feel powerless and question God's intentions. Some might wonder why a good God would allow such suffering to take place. Today we'll meet Marlene, a woman who, at the tender age of six, was molested by her cousin. She's here to share with us her true story and her journey to answering this very question. On this unshackled, daily devotional. My father was a minister, so I blamed God for not stopping my cousin.

1:02At 13, I told a counselor at school who sent me to a mental health clinic because I was suicidal. When my parents learned of the truth of what my cousin had done to me, they were angry, but they couldn't help me overcome my suicidal wish. Again and again, I tried to take my life, even in the psychiatric ward as my despair deepened. After two years of therapy, doctors wanted to have me committed to the state hospital, but the court sided with my parents and I stayed home. I began writing poetry, which helped. I stayed in therapy, even in college, where my counselor was a Christian. She helped me see that Satan was to blame, not God. I volunteered at a homeless shelter and met a woman who taught me that God allows bad things to help us grow in wisdom, patience and love. I went to church with her and heard a sermon that broke through my self-pity. That night I got on my knees and I asked God's forgiveness. I'm Marlene Wilson, and when I invited Christ into my heart, he swept away the bitterness

2:06and filled me with his peace and love. God helped me forgive my cousin, my parents, and even myself for the past. I've learned that when you follow the Lord and forgive those who hurt you, that's freedom. Jesus said in John 10, verse 10, We caused devastating pain on one another. But God physically entered into our world of anguish to endure it just as we do now, also he could provide life where otherwise there is only death. And as our living Lord, he has sealed the fate of our enemy, freeing us from his torment.

3:12God can transform the hurts that Satan has brought about and turn them into our greatest strength if we will trust him. Will you receive this truth today? Unshackled daily devotionals are built on true life accounts and help us ponder the application of Scripture to our lives. Each devotional tells a dramatic testimony of transformation of a real person while addressing a relatable issue of the human condition. A key Bible verse is provided so you can dig deeper into its specific intent and what it means for our lives in these unshackled daily devotionals. Listen to a new devotional every day and don't forget to tell your friends about unshackled daily devotionals.