Victim or victory?

I've been having conversations with different people on the same topic lately. The only reason to deduct from why this topic has been so prevalent in my conversations is that I must have something to learn or share.

It started with a coworker. We were discussing the "necessary evils" of hiring people that are not up to par with our standards. At one point it sounded, to me, like he was making excuses for them. He used the term "victim of circumstance" which instantly boiled my blood. Of course it wouldn't be possible for some random kid born in Kenya to be the President of the United Sta---oh wait. bad example. ummmmmmm...new example, it would be ok in my conscience for someone to claim "victim of circumstance" if they were raised in the middle of nowhere with no source to the outside world and no opportunity or knowledge of opportunity. However, I find little to no excuse for the rest of the population. The whole 'I was raised on welfare so that's all I know' crap is frustrating. Here are some statistics/facts for you:

In the United States, each year, between 7,000 and 12,000 children lose a parent to suicide, the researchers estimate.
If a girl's biological parent has committed suicide, she is 4-5 times as likely to make a suicide attempt.
Abuse is also a major predictor of children trying to kill themselves. Being abused as a child makes you 3 to 4 times more likely to become depressed or suicidal as a teenager or adult. Sexual abuse is the type of abuse that is most strongly associated with suicide attempts. It is thought that 15- 20% of all suicide attempts in teenagers and young adults can be linked to child sexual abuse.
(taken from this website and others randomly on google)

By all accounts, I should be part of this statistic. My brother should be angry and hateful. My sister should be bitter and emotionally damaged. Do we have our scars? Yes. Do we remember awful things that happened in our life? Yes. But do we choose to let them define who we are? No. And you don't have to either. See, I have this secret. It's called freedom. No not, this:

 

 

 

But this:

Due to no merit of my own, grace has been given to me to live a life that is above and beyond the "necessary evils" and "victim of circumstance" stories. A life that is full of forgiveness, comfort, grace, strength, confidence, freedom and unconditional love is waiting for you to just say yes to Him. If you were hungry and someone gave you food, you would eat it. Well, if you are sad, hurting, angry, insecure, unsure of life, scared or any other emotion, God is stretching out His hand to offer you "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" (Phil 4:7) And when you think about it, it really doesn't make sense. I have every excuse to be sad, angry, hurt and bitter, but I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I have my days. I still have days where I look at Ryot, burst into tears and get angry that my mom isn't here to be her Grandmom or whatever it is that she would have wanted to be called. I still go through phases and hear songs or see movies that make me angry or bawl my eyes out, but it's not permanent. I have a moment of real human emotion, and then I am surrounded by the love and hope that I have in Christ. Instead of a miserable life of pain, I have hard moments every now and then followed by more joy than I could have ever imagined.

It's not just a myth. It is the most real thing in the world. It's not fleeting, it's everlasting. It's not something that's earned, but something that is given and available.

Why choose to be a victim, when you can already have the victory?