Grace when you need it most

During World War II, Corrie ten Boom and her Dutch family hid several Jews from the Nazis. Eventually, she was caught and put in a concentration camp where she saw all sorts of atrocities, including the deaths of her father and sister. Then she was accidentally released. She never became bitter. She even forgave the man who had killed her relatives. Someone asked her how she could endure those dark days and remain loving, forgiving, and kind. She answered with a story of how, when she was a little girl, her father would take her on train rides all over Europe. He would always purchase her ticket several weeks ahead of time, but he would never let her have it until they were boarding. That’s because she was a little girl, and he didn’t want her to lose it or leave it at home. But whenever her father saw the headlights of the train approaching the station, he would give her the ticket, and they would step on board together. Corrie said, “The reason you can’t fathom how I could forgive the person who killed my family, how I could not be filled with bitterness…is because just like my father and our train tickets, God doesn’t give us the grace we need until we’re about to step on board. But if you ever go through something like I went through, I can assure you God’s grace will be there to help you make it through the dark valleys and still keep your head held high and your heart filled with love.”