Walking in Forgiveness With Corrie Ten Boom

Scriptures: 1 John 1:5-10, 1 John 2:9-11

Walking in the Light 

In London, I was asked to call on a woman in a mental institution. She was a person who had fallen victim to hatred. She had always lived in Palestine. Her husband had been kind to the Jews and then it was the Jews who had dropped a bomb on her home. When she regained consciousness and saw that her husband was dead, she opened her heart to hatred. Now she was a complete wreck. She spent the whole day reading the newspapers in order to find news about the Jews. If something terrible happened to them, she was happy. 

Poor woman! As she entered the room, she looked suspiciously at me. I prayed for wisdom and love. 

“I know exactly what you’re going to tell me. I must pray,” she began the conversation in a defiant manner. “But I cannot pray.” 

I made no reply, and she continued, “I know exactly what you are going to say next; I must banish the hatred from my heart, because only then can I pray again.” 

“Who has told you?” 

“The chaplain.” 

“No doubt the chaplain is still a very young man, and he does not yet know how powerful the demon of hatred is. You and I know. Once I was with my sister in a concentration camp. When they treated me cruelly, I could stand it, but when I saw that they intended to beat my sister because she was too weak to shovel sand, then hatred tried to enter my heart. And then I experienced a miracle. Jesus had planted His love in my heart, and there was no room left for hatred. 

“The only thing you can do is to open your heart to that love. That love is a reality. If it is dark in a room while the sun is shining outside, do I have to sweep the darkness out? Of course not. I merely have to draw the curtains aside, and as soon as the sunlight floods the room, the darkness vanishes.” 

We both knelt down, and I prayed, “Lord, here we are, weak, much weaker than the demon of hatred. But You are stronger than the demon of hatred, and now we open our hearts to You, and we give thanks to You that You are willing to enter into our hearts, as the sun is willing to flood a room that is opened to its brightness.” 

A week later, the woman was discharged from the mental institution. Her heart was full of the love of God. 

Corrie ten Boom, Amazing Love p.80–81

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13

Walking in Love 

I knew that one of the worst things that Germany had done to us was that it had taught us to hate. I searched my own heart. The Lord had given me so much tender care and love that hatred was no temptation to me. His love filled my heart, and where love reigns, there is no room for hate. I saw the faults of the German people and the horrors of the present regimes more clearly, and felt them more keenly, perhaps, than many others. I suffered daily from their effects on my person. 

On the other hand, I had never before so learned to know the Lord Jesus as a tender, loving friend, who never forsakes us or casts us off when we are bad, but rather helps us to gain the mastery over sin. In the foreground of my life there was hardheartedness, savage cruelty, dismal melancholy, and darkness; but behind it all I saw my Savior, His arms outstretched, and His face shining with light and love. Therefore I could not hate. 

Corrie ten Boom, A Prisoner and Yet… p.151

Scripture: Matthew 6:14-15

Walking Without Bitterness 

After the war, Germany was filled with wounds and scars—not all of them on the surface. In one tiny cubicle in the camp at Darmstadt, I found a German lawyer. He was sitting miserably in a wheelchair, the stumps of his legs poking out from under a lap blanket. He was filled with bitterness, hatred, and self-pity. He told me he had once been an active member of his Lutheran church and as a boy had rung the church bell in the village where he lived. Now the horrible injustice of war had taken his legs, and he was bitter against God and man. 

One morning I made a special trip to his room to tell him something of my life. I found him sitting in his wheelchair, staring at a blank wall. I was never one for introductions, so I got right to the point of my visit. “The only way to get rid of bitterness is to surrender it.” 

He turned slowly and looked at me. “What do you know about bitterness?” He asked. “You still have your legs.” 

“Let me tell you a story,” I said. “In Holland, during the war, a man came to me begging me to help him liberate his wife. I felt compassion for him and gave him all my money. I also convinced my friends to do the same. But the man was a traitor. The only reason he came to me was to trap me so he could have me arrested. Not only did he betray me, but he betrayed my entire family and friends. We were all sent to prison where three members of my family died. 

“You asked me about bitterness and hatred. You only hate circumstances, but I hated a man. Sitting in the prison in my homeland, waiting to be transferred to a concentration camp in Germany, hatred and bitterness filled my heart. I wanted that man to die. I know what it is like to hate. That is why I can understand you.” 

The lawyer turned his chair to face me. He was listening. “So, you have hated also. What do you suggest I do about my hate?” 

“What I have to say is of no importance. Let me tell you what the Son of God has to say. ‘For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ If we forgive other people, our hearts are made fit to receive forgiveness.” 

“When we repent,” I continued, “God forgives us and cleanses us. That is what I did, believing that if I confessed my sin God would be faithful and just to cleanse my sin and forgive me from all unrighteousness.” 

The lawyer looked at me and shook his head. “That is easy to say, but my hatred is too deep to have it washed away.” 

“No deeper than mine,” I said. Yet when I confessed it, not only did Jesus take it away, He filled me with love—even the ability to love my enemy.” 

“You mean you actually loved the man who betrayed you and who was responsible for the death of your family?” 

I nodded. “After the war, when that man was sentenced to death, I corresponded with him, and God used me to show him the way of salvation before he was executed.” 

The lawyer shook his head. “What a miracle! You mean Jesus can do that to a person? I shall have to give this much thought.” 

Since I have learned not to push a person beyond where God has left him, I bade my friend goodbye and returned to my room. 

Corrie ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord p.50–52

Scriptures: Ephesians 6:1-10, Ephesians 6:10-20

Walking in Obedience 

Just this month, I had a sad experience with friends who behaved like enemies. They promised something but did not keep their promise. In fact, they took great advantage of me. However, I surrendered my bitterness to the Lord, asked forgiveness, and He took it away. 

Just the next night, at four o’clock, I awoke and my heart was filled with bitterness again. I thought, “How could my dear friend behave as she did?” Again, I brought it to the Lord. He filled my heart with His love. But the next night it came back again. I was so discouraged. God has used me often to help people to love their enemies, and I could always give my testimony about what He had done in my life; but now I felt defeated. 

Then I remembered Ephesians 6:10–20 where Paul describes the ‘armor of God.’ He said that even after you have come to a standstill, still stand your ground. I was at a standstill, so I decided to stand my ground, and the bitterness and resentment fell away before me. 

Corrie ten Boom without the Lord Jesus cannot be victorious. I need the Lord every moment. And I have learned that I am absolutely dependent on Him. Because of this, He has made me rich. The secret of victory over bitterness comes through obedience. 

Corrie ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord p.53

Scriptures: Romans 5:5, 1 John 4:7-21

Walking in Faith 

The man who was making his way forward had been a guard at Ravensbruck—one of the most cruel guards. Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: “A fine message, Fraulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!” 

And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me of course—how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women? 

But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face to face with one of my captors, and my blood seemed to freeze. 

“You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk,” he was saying. “I was a guard there. But since that time, I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein,”—again the hand came out— “will you forgive me?” 

And I stood there—I whose sins had again and again been forgiven—and I could not forgive. My sister, Betsie, had died in that place—could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking? 

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there—hand held out—but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. Jesus, help me! I prayed silently. I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling. 

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, and sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. 

“I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart.” 

For a long moment, we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely as I did then. But even so, I realized it was not my life. It was the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Corrie ten Boom, Tramp For the Lord p.56–57 

Scripture: Matthew 5:21-24

Walking in Humility 

I have been speaking on forgiveness, but there was a time when I was unwilling to ask forgiveness for myself. I had been unkind to a woman, and I knew I was going to have to go to that gracious woman and apologize for being rude. I needed to confess my sin. 

I called the front desk and found which room the woman was in. Then I went to her room. “I must ask your forgiveness,” I said as she opened the door. “I spoke to you rudely.” 

She tried to return my unkindness with kindness, but that was not what I needed. I needed for her to admit that I was wrong and to forgive me. I know it is often more difficult to forgive than to ask forgiveness, but it is equally important. To withhold forgiveness often leaves another person in bondage, open to further attacks from the enemy. It is as important to forgive as it is to ask forgiveness. 

This sensitive woman understood. Reaching out and tenderly touching my hand, she said, “I understand, Tante Corrie. I forgive you for being unkind to me.” 

That’s what I needed to hear. 

Corrie ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord p.184–185

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Walking in Prayer 

Once, when I was at Ravensbruck, a quarrel was going on in the room. A Polish woman and a Belgian were lying together on a cot 27.5 inches wide. Is it any wonder that conflicts arose? The women were screaming at each other, fighting and trying to throw each other off the bed. Others meddled in the quarrel, and the shouting grew louder. 

Betsie, my sister, seized my arm. “We must pray, Corrie; only the Lord can help us.” And then she prayed, “Lord, remove this spirit of contention from the room. It is too strong for these poor people. They are so unhappy and so irritated. But Thou art the conqueror. Let Thy grace touch the hearts of these women. Let Thy Spirit fill our souls.” 

Like a storm that is stilled, the voices subsided; a cry or two, and all was quiet. How great is the power of prayer! When we expect much from the Lord, He gives us much. 

Corrie ten Boom, A Prisoner And Yet… p.123