The power in forgiveness

April 9, 2009 at 2:20 am · Filed under Uncategorized and tagged: approval, Concentration camp, Forgiveness, gain, God, joyce meyer, Life, Luke, mistakes, never give up, pain, Ravensbruck, starvation

I have been reading Joyce Meyer’s book Approval Addiction lately. It is one of her older books, but I always passed it over because I felt I wasn’t one of “those” people. You know the ones, they martyr themselves, are perfectionists, can not have any happiness unless everyone likes them. Well apparently in some ways we all need approval, or that is, we all try to get approval from others. It could be that you follow certain rules, give up control to others, let people use you or take advantage of your kindness. Maybe you are a leader of some sort and you strived to be the best because you needed the approval of someone…your parents maybe? We basically all look to get approval (who really looks to be rejected?), but sometimes that search for approval can be extreme. It’s like with anything, there has to be a balance. You can go too far. Right now I am in the chapter “Using Your Pain” which is pretty much the LAST chapter. It’s an excellent book, and I will probably read it again, but this one particular story moved me almost to tears.

“During World War II, Corrie ten Boom and her sister were held in a horrible concentration camp name 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 life and 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 Ravenbruck. 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 everyday 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 forvice you, brother!” “With all of my heart, I forgive you.” She said that she has never known God’s love so intensly as she did at that moment.”

The point of this story within the book is to use your pain in order to minister to others…that if you have ever been lied to, been taken advantage of, been gossiped about, been rejected or hurt in any way, then you should learn from that and treat others the way that you would like to be treated. Use your pain  for someone elses gain. But, there are many great lessons in this story, one of which, being able to forgive someone…to reach down deep and open your heart to that person in such a way that you let go of your hurt, minister to them by being a good example of a christian, and looking to God for strength in these matters.

Let go and Let God! Be positive and forgive those who have wronged you. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

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