May 27, 2025

Foxes and Fleas

“Have you ever noticed how incredibly easy it is to focus on what’s wrong with life? It’s easy for even ordinary irritations to build into occasions for grumbling and dissatisfaction. The weather; traffic; the alarm clock not going off on time; the noisy neighbors. We seem to easily find irritants rather than the good in life. We complain about our job, snap at our spouse, get honked at by traffic, or worse. Sometimes it seems there are more bad moments than good in life. If we don’t stop and take a good look at our perceptions of these situations, we soon find that we have bitter, negative experiences all day long.  

“The effects of focusing on the negative can hurt us more than we may realize. You may have heard that there is a link between our emotional health and our physical health. God created our minds and our bodies to be at peace with each other. When we are embarrassed (something that happens in our mind), our faces go red (a response in our body). When we’re nervous, we get sweaty hands or butterflies in our stomachs. When we’re angry, our blood pressure rises. What we think and feel affects us, spilling over to our health and well-being.”(1)

Life is comprised of moments and choices. “Choices have consequences - they are both a gift and a responsibility. What we choose to think about, and how we act on those thoughts and feelings, have a massive impact on the quality of our lives (Deuteronomy 30:19). Have you ever looked back on a bad choice and thought, What in the world was I thinking??”(2) 

We might find ourselves in a situation where someone else’s thoughtless decision now puts us in a challenging, possibly even devastating position. Do we blame them for the hurt that it causes us? After all, we can feel pretty justified when it is someone else’s fault, right?? If they had done things differently, handled it better, made a sounder, more careful decision, considered someone besides themselves, we could go on and on, finding justification, and stroking our pain. 

Life is all about relationships – not just at home, but at church, in the workplace, and throughout life. Healthy relationships are built on communication, understanding, mutual respect, kindness, patience, forgiveness, and love. Many problems come when there are misunderstandings, unmet expectations, and offenses. These cause detrimental thoughts, which, over time, can poison relationships and cause things to implode. Working through differences takes grace, humility, and effort. If we don’t put forth the effort, we won’t see the answers, and nothing will change.(3)

Let’s ask Holy Spirit to help us not hang on to the pain. Ask Him to help you to become willing to forgive. Did you get that? If you’re not yet willing to forgive, ask Him to help you become willing to forgive. He knows our hearts, and He’s willing to help.

God has wired us for love and acceptance, not conflict. By telling ourselves the truth and applying God’s Word, we can once again find peace. But realize, learning to make good choices, right choices, and sometimes making difficult decisions, is a lifelong commitment. As we do this, however, we will grow and be an example for others to do the same. You are an influencer – especially to those in your own home, and in your sphere. Let’s choose to bear good fruit.

God has an amazing plan for us and uses the hard moments in our lives to shape us. He uses the difficult situations to truly forge who we become. Our responses to them mold our character. It’s our reactions to the challenging circumstances in life that truly make us who we are. God desires for us to be men and women known for our godly character and strength. And as you know, the best example of all is Jesus. 

Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) tells us: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” 

James 1:3-5 “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and be complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (NLT)

Romans 8:28, the Amplified Classic tells us: “We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.” 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV) tells us: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

In Corrie ten Boom’s book The Hiding Place, Corrie shares about her life in a Nazi concentration camp. As prisoners, she and her sister were placed into barracks at Ravensbrück, Germany. The building was packed with dirty and sweaty prisoners: 1400 people were crammed into a space designed for only 400. Plumbing had backed up, walls and floors were soiled and putrid. There were rows of narrow platforms stacked three high and wedged side-by-side, end-to-end, where they slept; there were no individual beds. Another misery would soon be discovered. 

Corrie wrote:

“Suddenly, I sat up, striking my head on the cross-slats above. Something had pinched my leg.

“‘Fleas,’ I cried. ‘Betsie, the place is swarming with them!’

“The sisters prayed, asking the Lord to show them how they could live in such a place. They knew they would not be allowed to move to a different location. As they read from the Scripture that morning (from a Bible Corrie hid in a pouch around her neck), they were reminded to give thanks in all circumstances.

“‘That’s it, Corrie,’ Betsie said. ‘That’s His answer. Give thanks in all circumstances [1 Thessalonians 5:18]. That’s what we can do. We can start now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!’

“‘Such as?’ I said.

“‘Such as being assigned here together.’

“I bit my lip. ‘Oh yes, Lord Jesus!’

[Then Betsey said,] “‘Such as what you’re holding in your hands.’ I looked down at the Bible.

“Yes! Thank You, dear Lord, that there was no inspection when we entered here! [Had they searched Corrie, they probably would have found the hidden Bible.]

“‘Thank you,’ Betsie went on serenely in prayer, ‘for the fleas and for…’

“The fleas! This was too much. ‘Betsie, there’s no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.’

“‘Give thanks in all circumstances,’ she quoted. ‘It doesn’t say “in pleasant circumstances.” Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.’

“And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time, I was sure Betsie was wrong.”

Only later did the sisters realize how strategic the fleas were to their situation. Every night, they held a Bible study in their barracks, but feared the guards would enter and see them. Night after night, no guard ever came near. Soon, they grew bolder and began having two services, sharing the gospel with many prisoners. The sisters couldn’t understand why there was no supervision or harassment by the guards in their barracks, as in others.

They finally realized that it was because of the fleas! The guards would not come near because of the fleas. 

“Corrie writes, ‘My mind rushed back to our first hour in this place. I remember Betsie’s bowed head, and her thanks to God for creatures I could see no use for.’”(4)

We do not have to deal with imprisonment at Ravensbrück as the ten Boom sisters, but we all face our own difficult situations and hard places – the little foxes or fleas nipping at our heels (Song of Solomon 2:15). They tempt us to grumble at our situation or hold onto our hurt. Friends, let’s give Him our broken places, the challenging situations, and ask Holy Spirit to heal our hearts and make a way. And may we give thanks for His love, His patience, and transforming power.

Pray with me:

Lord, I thank You for our friends who have joined me today. We pause and say that we are grateful for our many blessings. Thank You for loving us, for Your guidance, and for being faithful to us, even when we are not always faithful to You. Today, Lord, we are being candid and real, asking for You to touch our souls: our minds, our strong wills, and emotions. Cleanse us and heal us. We choose to let go of what doesn’t please You. We give it to You, Jesus. We are grateful, oh Lord, and we celebrate You this day. In Christ’s name. Amen.

Our decree:  

We decree that we will let go of what doesn’t please Jesus, and will embrace the new.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. Carole Lewis, A Thankful Heart (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2005), pp. 9, 11, adaptation. 

2. Dr. Caroline Leaf, Who Switched Off Your Brain (Inprov, Ltd. and Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2011), p. 14.

3. Ibid., pp. 14, 19, adapted.

4. Corrie ten Boom and John and Elizabeth Sherrill, The Hiding Place (Uhrichsville, OH: Barbour Publishing, 1971).