Forgiveness and Corrie Ten Boom
At times we all find it hard–if not impossible–to forgive those who’ve hurt us most.
In the mid-70s, not long after I became a Christian, I heard about a woman who had spent time in Nazi concentration camps for hiding Jews in her home during the Holocaust. 52 and unmarried, she had lived at home with her elderly father and older sister Betsie. All three of them had been sent to concentration camps when the Nazis discovered they had been hiding the Jewish refugees. The woman’s name was Corrie Ten Boom.
Corrie lost her freedom, her dignity, and her beloved sister and father in the span of a few months in those concentration camps. In God’s providence Corrie was released due to a clerical error, just one week before the other women in Ravensbruck her age were executed.
After the war Corrie was invited to speak all over the world, and she tirelessly traveled the globe, thankful for every opportunity she was given to tell people about Christ. She always marveled at God’s infinite mercy toward sinners like us.
She also knew that everyone who had received God’s mercy had no choice but to show mercy to others; and she knew from her own experience that wasn’t always easy. In her book The Hiding Place
It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there – the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie’s pain-blanched face.
He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. “How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein.” he said. “To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”
His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.
Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.
I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness.
As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.
And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.
No one understood both the difficulty and the absolute necessity of forgiving others better than Corrie Ten Boom. I will be forever grateful for the example this humble, tireless servant of Christ set for me when I was a new believer.
Barry Wallace
theoparadox
pijohnson
I love her story. Funny though, as many times as I’ve heard it, it never sunk in until just now that she was a middle-aged woman when this all happened. I always imagined her much younger. Somehow knowing that makes the story even more remarkable, though I’ve no idea why.
An incredible woman, and I know how short I fall when compared to someone like her.
Laurie,
I think you’re right. Her age does make both what she endured and what she accomplished all the more remarkable. Betsie was seven years older, and her age probably contributed to her death in the harsh conditions of Ravensbruck. Incidentally, if you’ve never read “The Hiding Place” I highly recommend it.
Andy,
That last paragraph from the excerpt really sums up much of her ministry. Even though we’re helpless on our own (as Corrie knew she was), God is always faithful and gracious to give us the very thing He demands from us.
This story always amazes me and speaks so profoundly to the power of grace. This is the kind of healing we need in today’s world. There are people who have participated in genocide because if they did not they would be killed such as child soldiers who need forgiveness so we can help heal one another and break the cycles of violence. I teach about forgiveness and am always looking for forgiveness stories to post on my website to use as inspiration to others, especially from people grappling with forgiveness today and have been able to let go of their pain and suffering. I want to empower people to learn how to forgive so they too know the power of love. Eileen R. Borris
I can’t imagine meeting someone who has hurt you that much. Yet she gave a wonderful testimony of the forgiveness that is ours and that we have to offer others through Christ.
Barry,
A wonderful reminder. It also reminds me of the most recent gunned-down pastor’s wife, who has chosen to forgive her husbands assassin.
Remarkable!
Barry, I just went to Dachau two weeks ago. It is so hard to believe the pain and suffering that humans can inflict on other humans. As punishment and entertainment, people had their hands tied behind their backs and then they were strung up by that point (where their hands were tied) until their feet just barely touched the floor. About 50/60/70 people were stuffed into a small room for about 72 hours without any room to move or the possibility to use the toilets. The list of abuse goes on. This is severe and one can understand why some people simply cannot forgive due to their own human weakness. What I find sad is when family members get into deep family divisions over what started out as an unintended slight or sometimes unfounded jealousy and they are just not capable of seeing that forgiveness is the only route, the only way out of their own misery and their pride just won’t let them truly seek the way out. The first step is seeing the other, as in the story, a child of God and someone for whom we should pray. I always think that if God were to justify a person that I would judge unworthy, on what grounds would I stand once God was satisfied and should I not rejoice and be glad that God has worked in this person. We are already, to a certain extent, in eternity. Best regards, don Jeffry
I started to write a reply to this but then it quickly became longer than the post itself! I will likely have to write a post of my own about this…so moving. By the way, do you know know Ronnica @ ignorant historian?? She’s a friend of mine IRL.
Holy mackerel, I’m really falling behind on my replies! Sorry guys.
Eileen, Ronnica, and David,
Corrie’s life is simply one of the best examples of Christian grace and forgiveness I’ve ever known. In that I want to imitate her, as she imitated Christ.
don Jeffrey,
It’s good to hear from you. The cruelty and inhumanity of those concentration camps is hard to fathom, and yet not surprising. We are all born with an incredible capacity for evil–which is why we all need a Savior.
“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless” (Rom. 3:9-11)
Isaac,
Would you like to post your thoughts here, as a guest?
I was given this book by my Godparents and currently own the VHS video, she is a true Warrior for Christ…..I often think of her when self pity comes in , and the things she endured and still loved the Lord and trusted him implicitly, she was amazing, and truly a righteous soul.
I actually really enjoyed that movie. I thought it was very well done. I would highly recommend the book, though, to anyone who hasn’t read it, as well as “Tramp for the Lord” which is basically a sequel describing some of her experiences as she traveled around the globe sharing the gospel.
thanks so much for posting!
I’ve added you to my blogroll.
God bless you, Ingrid
Good post, Barry…thanks.
Ingrid77 and Rich,
Thanks for dropping by. Grace and peace to you both.
great story. thanks for sharing
I read The Hiding Place in the mid 70s as a teenager and was very much humbled and impressed by Miss Ten Boom’s strength and faith. It is nice to see that she is still inspiring others and her story is still alive and being spread throughout the world.
How much sadness and pain would be removed from the world if people would learn how to forgive,
Having worked in a Christian crisis centre for many years, I found that if a person “can’t” forgive someone who has abused them in the past, but wants to, there is a formula for learning how to do it.
We know that we ask God to “forgive us our trespasses AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO HAVE TRESPASSED AGAINST US.” If we want a relationship with God yet we are stumbling over the bitterness and resentment we feel toward someone, then:
1. Ask for God’s forgiveness for our resentment, and allow Jesus to direct our life from now on.
2. Deliberately ask for God’s help in forgiving that person, and say it out loud…
3. Then whenever that person comes to mind during the day…once, twice, 20 times etc., ask God to bless that person! It’s hard to hold bitterness against someone you are continually asking God to bless!
4. If that person is no longer living, then, as many times as is necessary during the day, say “I have forgiven that person”.
Be persistent! Stick with it..as long as it takes. Relying on God’s help, this has a cleansing affect on our spirits.
The consistency of Corrie’s testimony, the willingness to strive forward in Christ rather than accept easy accolades, make her tapes, books and the movie very valuable. I often need reminders to not take the easy way that would be acceptable to men, but instead to follow where Christ leads.
This is a lovely post. I remember that I read Corrie’s book when I was in 6th grade. As a12 year old I don’t think it had as intense an impact, as hearing her story now that I am in my 40’s. The more we live, the more complex our understanding, and thus our hurt becomes. It has been my experience that children have a much easier time forgiving, than adults. Perhaps that is why Laurie above, was moved when learning Corrie’s age at the time of her horrifying experiences. It is certainly one of the poignant principles of Jesus’ command that we each “Become like a little child”. Children are willing to trust. Learning to trust in God’s mercy and justice, and being willing to let go of the anger that binds our hearts, and dams our progression is one of the hardest and most rewarding things we can do.
Thank you for this wonderful article about Corrie Ten Boom
Thanks again to each of you for honoring the Lord and Corrie Ten Boom with your kind thoughts and encouraging words. Not surprisingly, Corrie never cared much for the praise of others. “Some people think that I have great faith,” she once said, “but that is not true. I do not have great faith. I have faith in a great God!”
I had the incredible honor of hearing Miss ten Boom speak. She used an example of a tolling bell being like temptaion (I believe) and how after the hand is removed from the bellpull, the bell continues to swing, the clapper sometimes still touches the bell and the echoes ring on for awhile, and she also talked about how we have a wall around us like a fortified city and all satan and his demons can do is stand outside the wall and shout at us. I wish I could remember exactly how she used both of those examples — they were so very powerful for me at the time and I’ve wanted to share them with people since. Does anyone else know about these illustrations she used?
The bell illustration is from a story Corrie told of not being able to forget a wrong that had been done to her. She had forgiven the person, but kept rehashing the incident and couldn’t sleep. She asked the Lord to help her put the problem behind her:
AH!!!! YES!! Thank you.
My mum read The Hiding Place to my brothers and I when we were little. It made an impression. Whenever I hear lectures and sermons on forgiveness I always wait for the last part – i.e. we as humans do not have it in us to forgive, but if we ask the Lord for His forgiveness and are open to Him, then the miracle will take place.
I admire your openness and thanks for sharing this.
What a great idea your mum had, to read “The Hiding Place” to you when you were young. Hearing you say that has made me want to read it to my 9 year old son! Corrie was such a good example of the grace and strength the Lord provides us, even in our weakness.
Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment!
Forgiveness as an act of worship:
http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2009/01/01/worship-the-place-to-empty-your-grudge-account/
SC
How wonderful to read all your posts. It is a wonderful thing to release those who have hurt us as it brings freedom to live our own lives more fully.
I know this personally as I had to forgive and let go of years of pain from my childhood. I thought I had let go and forgiven my father and then later in life went through another process of forgiveness. I went through intense anger as I realized what he had taken from me.
Two dear friends from my church were able to help me work through my feelings to come to a place of peace and letting go completely of the offense. Since then I have been living a full and productive life, set free from the pain of the past!
Through His Grace and Love . . . Sharon
That’s a tremendous testimony, Sharon. Thank you for your willingness to share it.
I think we all have done things in our life that we would like forgiveness for. I know I have. I hope the ones that I have hurt can find it in their hearts to forgive me. I believe that in forgiveness they will find peace as Corrie did. This is the power God has given us so that we can have love and compassion for others as God has for us.
I just came here via Stumbleupon quite a time after the original post. Forgiveness is often discussed in theoretical terms and hypothetical situations and people say, “Oh I couldn’t forgive that!” but Corrie Ten Boom’s story signifies that the occasions we are actually confronted with the need to forgive can be really challenging – else, what would make it forgiveness?
I’m stuggling with someone who, for me, spoils our Sunday worship and I’ve tried opening up the subject with them but they just want to “agree to differ”. It hurts. I want us to understand and forgive each other but that never comes. This little unforgiveness of mine nags and eats away at me. I ask the Lord repeatedly for help. I hope it’s the case of the bell doing its final clangs…
Thanks for reminding us of her story.
Dizzley, thanks for visiting, and especially for sharing your struggle. I know it will encourage others.
Corrie’s life and her work touches me so much that it teaches me christian life and makes me long for heaven..how wonderful it should be!