During World War II, Corrie Ten Boom and her sister were held in a horrible concentration camp named Ravensbruck. They saw and suffered terrible torments including starvation and nakedness in below freezing weather. Corrie’s sister Betsie actually starved to death. During their time there, however, they continually encouraged other prisoners. They kept an attitude of praise, and eventually Corrie was released from the concentration camp through a clerical error.

After her release, she traveled worldwide telling of her experiences and the faithfulness of God. Her ministry surely became more powerful and effective than it would have been without her trials and suffering. Her life and ministry have been a comfort to millions.

One evening after preaching in Germany on God’s forgiveness and how no sin is too great for God to forgive, she suddenly recognized a man coming toward her. He had been a guard at Ravensbruck, and one of the people who had tortured the prisoners. The man did not recognize Corrie, but he said he had heard her mention that she was a prisoner in Ravensbruck. He said, “I was a guard there, but have since gone on to become a Christian. I know God has forgiven me for the terrible things I did, but I am asking you for your forgiveness as well.”

Corrie said that she immediately saw her beloved sister slowly starving to death, and felt at that moment that even though she needed forgiveness every day herself, she could not forgive this man. As she stood in front of him, she knew that she must forgive him although she did not know how she could. Everything she preached to others would be worthless if she could not forgive. Corrie said she knew it would have to be an act of her will, because nothing in her emotions wanted to do it. As she stood there, she told God, “I can lift my hand, I can do that much, but You will have to do the rest. You must supply the feelings.” As she woodenly took the man’s hand, she said that the power of God came rushing through her entire being, and she was able to say wholeheartedly, “I forgive you, brother! With all my heart, I forgive you.” She said that she has never known God’s love so intensely as she did at that moment.

- Joyce Meyer, Approval Addiction, pg235–236

Posted by topher on Saturday, April 29th, 2006 at 00:00 and is filed under Northfield YA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.