The Daily Grace - Outlasting Bitterness

During the Second World War, Corrie ten Boom's family owned a watchmaking business in the Netherlands, and they actively worked to protect Jewish families. Eventually, the entire ten Boom family was sent to a concentration camp, where Corrie's father died 10 days later. Her sister Betsie also died in the camp. While Betsie and Corrie were in the camp together, Betsie's faith helped to strengthen Corrie's.

That faith led Corrie to forgive even the ruthless men who served as guards during her concentration camp days. While hate and the desire for revenge continued to destroy many lives long after the concentration camps were gone, Corrie knew the truth: Hate hurts the hater more than the hated, no matter how justified it may seem. Like Corrie, we each have the opportunity to love our enemy and choose forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn't excuse the offense, but when we forgive we show Christ to the world. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Eph. 4:32). God will help you let go of every angry grudge as you watch the Spirit build into you a place where others see the Savior. When we forgive someone, we look more like Jesus than at any other moment in our life.