We are going to look at the story of Corrie Ten Boom as we reflect on the ALIVE value ‘We are Forgiving.’

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Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch author and Holocaust survivor. She and her family helped many Jews escape the Nazis during World War II by hiding them in their home. Unfortunately, they were eventually discovered and sent to concentration camps.

There is a powerful interaction that Corrie ten Boom had with a German guard years after she was released from the concentration camp. Have a listen to her telling this story and how she wrestled with forgiveness:

She also describes her sense of God’s strength when forgiving this guard in her book, ‘The Hiding Place.’

“And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on his. When he tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.”

Corrie shows us that we don’t have to rely on our own strength when we try to forgive, but we are freely given the love of God. God stands with us and gives us his own love and strength, so we can forgive in the hardest of times. Let’s reflect on this:

1. Have you ever found it hard to forgive?
2. Does Corrie Ten Boom’s reflections on God in forgiveness change how you think about forgiving others?
3. Can you think of any situations where God could help you to forgive?

Let’s pray to finish,

Dear Lord, show me the power of forgiveness when I am storing up anger against others.

Equip me with your strength and love to forgive those who have hurt me.

Guard my heart when old emotions threaten to surface. In your love, take away all anger in my heart and replace it with joy.

 In Jesus' name, Amen.