During World War II, Corrie ten Boom and her sister found themselves prisoners at Ravensbruck concentration camp. Her books written about her experiences have touched lives for decades. In one moving account she shares she and her sister were placed in a dorm that was infested with fleas.

The fleas were everywhere, making everyone uncomfortable with their constant biting. Corrie shared that her sister shared a verse from the Bible that said to give thanks in all things. She then told her that they needed to give thanks for the fleas.

Corrie would later share that as she listened to her sister she felt what she said was a stretch. However, at night they would read from a Bible they were able to get past the guards, and they wanted to follow the words that they had read. So together they gave thanks, even for the fleas.

During the day the sisters would be on work details. Corrie’s sister Betsie worked hard to stay prayerful during their entire ordeal, whether in the dorm or in the field. She would pray and give thanks she was with Corrie. She would then thank God that they shared the same dorm. Corrie followed along at her sister’s prodding and found that she too was able to give thanks in the middle of the pain of daily life in the concentration camp.

In her very moving memoir she shared about coming back to the barracks after a long day of work. It was snowing outside, yet she found Betsie inside with a smile. “I’ve found out,” her sister gleamed. About what Corrie wondered?

“Why we had so much freedom in the big room.” Betise then went on to tell her sister that there was commotion at the work site and a supervisor was sent to the barracks to get to the bottom of things.

“But she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t step through the door and neither would the guards. And you know why? Because of the fleas!” No guards would find their Bible, their prayer group, their quiet and supportive conversations, all because they would not enter the dorm room because of these tiny insects.

Corrie concluded, “My mind rushed back to our first hour in this place. I remembered Betsie’s bowed head, remembered her thanks to God for creatures I could see no use for, her thanks for fleas.”

It was a pivotal moment for her faith, the ability to give thanks in all things, to trust at all times, to believe even in the face of huge mountains that God’s grace is greater.

Perhaps we can all learn to give thanks in all things, no matter how counterintuitive faith may seem at the time. In the end we never know what miracles are heading our way as we simply share gratitude for even the tiniest things.