Thank God for the Fleas!

Psalm 34:1 ~’I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth.’

Do you know what I was doing this morning? I was sitting in the stillness of my home, next to the love of my life, reading my Bible. (I have a thing for Bibles, but that’s another story.) I had my sweet dog, Dallas, at my feet and was drinking coffee out of the new cup my “sister I got to choose” bought for me.

Think about that. There are so many things to praise God for in the one simple paragraph. I’m not just talking about the material things. The people He’s placed in my life have blessed me beyond measure… far more than I deserve. I have a wonderful God-loving husband, the sweetest dog that ever lived, a good job, a roof over my head and food to eat. Not to mention, we live in a country that gives us the freedom to worship God and to read our Bible (so many Bibles) whenever and wherever we choose. Praise God!

It’s easy to praise Him in the good times and for the blessings, isn’t it? But do we praise Him in the struggles and the tough times too? Do we remember to praise Him when we can’t understand why we have to suffer the things we suffer through? When we’re in the midst of a battle that seems like it will never end? Admittedly, I know I don’t always remember. I sure try, but I’m needing some improvement in that area.

There was one amazing woman who really knew how to praise God. Her name was Corrie ten Boom. If you’ve never read her book ‘The Hiding Place’, I wholeheartedly recommend it. Corrie lived with her family in the Netherlands during World War II. Her father was a watchmaker and together they were responsible for hiding an estimated 800 Jews and Nazi Resistance members from the Nazis. They were eventually caught and she and her sister Betsie were sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp. Forced into deplorable living conditions, the barracks they occupied were crammed with hundreds of other women. It was dirty and the bunk beds they slept in were rancid, made of straw and infested with lice and fleas. They were cramped up together with up to 10 women… per bunk. Feeling completely downtrodden by their circumstances and wondering how they’re supposed to continue to live like that, Corrie had understandably lost all hope. But it was her sister Betsie that reminded her to have hope in God and that we are to praise God and to give thanks in ALL circumstances, even for the fleas. How in the world can I be thankful for the fleas, she asked.

As it happened, Corrie and Betsie were able to smuggle in a small Bible and they began holding secret Bible studies with a few of the women. Soon, their numbers grew as word spread and the group got bigger and bigger. Many, many women hearing about Christ that may have never heard about Him in a place where He may be difficult for others to find… a miracle in itself. But the truly miraculous part? The Nazi soldiers never entered their barracks and the Bible studies went uninterrupted. How was that possible with them constantly patrolling? Because of the fleas… the soldiers never entered the women’s quarters because of their fear of the infestation of lice and fleas. Praise God for the fleas!

1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 ~ ‘Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.’

The thing is, God can and will use even the most dire and desperate of circumstances to His glory. Even when you can’t see it or understand the reasons why. There are three ways I can think of that God uses our trials. Firstly, He uses our situations, our sufferings, to bring about His will. Take Joseph, for example, in the book of Genesis. He was left for dead by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused and imprisoned. I’m sure he had a moment or two of asking God why he was experiencing those things. But it was because of Joseph’s presence in Egypt that he was able to save God’s people from famine. Without the events of Joseph’s life unfolding how they did, the matter of fact is God placed him in the perfect position and used him to bring help to His people.

Romans 8: 28 ~ ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose.’

Secondly, God uses our circumstances to bring us closer to Him, to increase our dependence on Him and yes, to teach us how to be more like Christ. Without experiencing life’s pitfalls and valleys, would we remember to hit our knees and pray? Would we look to Him for help and hope? I know in my own life, it’s in those utterly hopeless places when I am reminded that my hope needs to be in God. With each suffering, and with each lesson and experience, I’m reminded of God’s grace and love and constant presence. He has brought me through trials that I know I could have never survived without Him. Because of that, I am closer to Him than ever. I have an increasing desire every day to know more and to grow more in that relationship with Him.

Lastly, God uses our suffering and circumstances to reach others. Corrie ten Boom had an incredible testimony. When she was finally freed from the concentration camp, she made it her life’s work to tell her story to the world. She toured and testified to countless others and told of God’s amazing grace and work in her life. When others witness your trials in life and wonder how you survived, look at the amazing testimony you have! Because of our suffering, we have our own story of hope to tell other people. We have a way of telling others how God can work in their life too. It opens the door to bringing more and more people into the fold. It touches their heart and reaches them on a personal level and hopefully wins more souls for Christ. Isn’t that our ultimate goal as Christians here on this earth?

What I’m trying to say is this… learn to trust Him, praise Him and thank Him in ALL situations good and bad. He will take it, use it and not only bring your through it, but will use it to bless others too. He may even teach you a thing or two in the process.

In the words of Job…

Job 1:21 ~ ‘Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”