Thankful for the Flea's...

As I sit here reading and studying all weekend, a story that my youth leader told me in Jr. High keeps playing over in my head. It is a favorite story of mine from Corrie Ten Boon.


Corrie writes:
“Barracks 8 was in the quarantine compound. Next to us–perhaps as a deliberate warning to newcomers–were located the punishment barracks. From there, all day long and often into the night, came the sounds of hell itself. They were not the sounds of anger, or of any human emotion, but of a cruelty altogether detached: blows landing in regular rhythm, screams keeping pace. We would stand in our ten-deep ranks with our hands trembling at our sides, longing to jam them against our ears, to make the sounds stop.”
“It grew harder and harder. Even within these four walls there was too much misery, too much seemingly pointless suffering. Every day something else failed to make sense, something else grew too heavy.”
Yet, in the midst of the suffering, the women prisoners around Corrie and Betsie found comfort in the little Bible studies they held in the barracks. Corrie writes they gathered around the Bible “like waifs clustered around a blazing fire…The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God.”
When they were moved to Barracks 28, Corrie was horrified by the fact that their reeking, straw-bed platforms swarmed with fleas. How could they live in such a place?
It was Betsie who discovered God’s answer:
“’Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.” 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…”
They thanked God for the fact they were together. They thanked God they had a Bible. They even thanked God for the horrible crowds of prisoners, that more people would be able to hear God’s Word. And then, Betsie thanked God for the fleas.“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.’
“And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong.”
It turned out that Betsie was not wrong; the fleas were a nuisance, but a blessing after all. The women were able to have Bible studies in the barracks with a great deal of freedom, never bothered by supervisors coming in and harassing them. They finally discovered that it was the fleas that kept those supervisors out.
Through those fleas, God protected the women from abuse and harassment. Dozens of desperate women were free to hear the comforting, hope-giving Word of God. Through those fleas, God protected the women from much worse things and made sure they had their deepest, truest needs met.

So, I sit here in the midst of circumstances that I wish were far different, none the less, over the last five years… God has taught me to be thankful, because even in “this”, He is working. I would not have personally chosen to go through the physical trauma of rape and sodomy. I would not have chosen to go through public humiliation. I would not have chosen to go through a season of negative coping and self-destruction. However, looking back, I can honestly say… I would NEVER change the last five years… as hard as they have been. If I wouldn’t have gone through everything that I have, I would not have gone to Mercy and taken the time out from life that I needed to heal (not only those wounds, but wounds from the past that I had put a band aid on). If I hadn’t gone through the last five years, I would not have learned the level of surrender and humility that I’ve experienced. Lastly, if all hadn’t taken place, I would not be living in Tennessee, which has proven to be a constant miracle.
Anyway, today, I challenge you to look at your life and be “Thankful for the fleas”.