Fleas

"The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom is one of my favorite books. It tells the story of two Dutch sisters who were imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp for trying to help Jews. At one point in the story the two sisters are praying in their barracks, and one of the sisters suggests that they should thank God for the fleas. This idea seemed completely crazy to the other sister, because the fleas that infested the straw mattresses of their barracks were nothing but an annoying nuisance. However, with a little prodding, she decides to express gratitude for the fleas. Some time later she realized that the only "safe" place in the concentration camp--the only place the brutal Nazi guards refused to enter--was the barracks. And the reason they were left alone, the reason they had any kind of sanctuary in that miserable dehumanizing place, was because of the fleas.

How many of us have "fleas" in our own lives that seem to be only sent to torment us, but that in reality benefit us? I can think of many examples in my own life when, in hindsight, something that seemed difficult or frustrating turned out to be a blessing. After I had worked for one of my first employers for several months, I asked my boss for a raise. In response he laughed in my face - quite literally. I was a little stunned and a bit offended, but he explained that he didn't feel I was working as hard as I was capable of working (and he was right). From that moment on I fulfilled my assigned responsibilities to the best of my ability and sought opportunities to contribute in other ways. A few months later I received a raise and a promotion, and that lesson has stuck with me throughout my life.

A few years later I applied for a job that I felt I was more than qualified for. I had a connection with the hiring manager, and it seemed like a done deal. But then I was told that I wasn't qualified for the position because I didn't have a college degree. Until that moment I had been under the impression that I would be the exception to the rule, that my unique skills would help me succeed without a college degree. Being told I wasn't qualified for a job for academic reasons frustrated me, but it also motivated me to finish college and I have never once regretted that choice.

There are other "fleas" in my life that have yet to produce tangible benefits, at least as far as I can see with my limited perspective. I hope someday to know the purpose behind some of the challenges and losses I have experienced, but in the mean time I must simply trust that God knows what he's doing and will give me the strength I need to get through the difficulties He sends my way.