“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
I recently stumbled across The Hiding Place, the story of Corrie ten Boom and her family, who risked everything to hide Jews in the Netherlands during World War II. Within its pages, I discovered an unexpected but powerful lesson about finding joy, even in the smallest and most challenging moments.
Life in Ravensbrück
In 1944, a Dutch informant betrayed them, and their risk caught up with them. Corrie ten Boom and her sister, Betsie, would eventually land in Ravensbrück, a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. As you might expect, life in Ravensbrück was not ideal. They were met with meager rations, overcrowding, forced labor, disease, and death. It would be hard for anyone to notice joy in those circumstances.
Corrie and Betsie would be assigned to Barracks 28. This barracks more than others was over-crowded. They were told it was designed to hold 400. At one point, Corrie said that there was 1,400 there, with more arriving weekly. There was also an infestation of fleas and lice. Not the best living conditions, to say the least.
This didn’t stop Betsie from finding joy and gratitude, though. In fact, it made her faith stronger.
Betsie’s Perspective
“That’s it, Corrie! That’s His answer. ‘Give thanks in all circumstances!’ That’s what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!” I stared at her, then around me at the dark, foul-aired room.
“Such as?” I said.
“Such as being assigned here together.”
I bit my lip. “Oh yes, Lord Jesus!”
“Such as what you’re holding in your hands.”
I looked down at the Bible. “Yes! Thank You, dear Lord, that there was no inspection when we entered here! Thank You for all the women, here in this room, who will meet You in these pages.”
“Yes,” said Betsie. “Thank You for the very crowding here. Since we’re packed so close, that many more will hear!” She looked at me expectantly.
“Corrie!” she prodded. “Oh, all right. Thank You for the jammed, crammed, stuffed, packed, suffocating crowds.”
“Thank You,” Betsie went on serenely, “for the fleas and for—”
The fleas! This was too much. “Betsie, there’s no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.”
“Give thanks in all circumstances,” she quoted. “It doesn’t say, ‘in pleasant circumstances.’ Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.”
Corrie ten Boom, “The Hiding Place”
Corrie struggled at first to understand Betsie, especially when it came to being thankful for the fleas. Honestly, that’s probably how many of us would react. Fleas? Really? But Betsie had a different perspective. Even in the harshest circumstances, she chose joy and gratitude. She was thankful for:
- Being together with her sister
- Their smuggled Bible, a connection to her faith
- Having more people around to share her faith with
- The fleas, that were part of where God put them
At the time, the fleas seemed like nothing but a nuisance. Their value would be revealed later. The SS guards avoided Barracks 28 because of the flea infestations. In their cramped space, they could read the Bible, share their faith, pray for and encourage others. There was a level of freedom that was not often found within a Nazi concentration camp.
Our Own Fleas
Their story got me thinking about our own “fleas,” the everyday inconveniences we all face. Most of us will never endure what Corrie and Betsie did, but we all encounter little challenges that test our patience, such as: traffic, long lines, Wi-Fi or power outages, spilled coffee, or interruptions at work.
The question is: how we will respond? Will we react like Corrie at first, frustrated, or like Betsie, who found gratitude even in the fleas?
If Betsie could find joy amid a concentration camp, surely we can find moments of joy in our daily lives. For example:
- A favorite song while stuck in traffic
- A moment to breathe while waiting in line
- Time to slow down when technology fails
- A reminder that you even have a cup to spill at all
- A chance to connect with someone while being interrupted
Their story shows that joy does not depend on perfect circumstances. It comes from noticing small gifts in the middle of discomfort and in situations that feel difficult or unfair. Betsie’s faith guided her, but the practice of looking for hidden blessings can apply to anyone.
The challenge for us is simple: Pay attention to the “fleas” in your own life and notice what hidden gift they might hold.
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