Have you ever stopped to look at a caterpillar in a cocoon? A cool little mystery the way it gets all neatly wrapped up and snug and warm, sleeping in there all cozy. Hmmm. Yet there it is in a seemingly deep and refreshing sleep. Ahhh sleep. But in the middle of the dreamlike state the caterpillar outgrows its surroundings! One day, it begins to burst forth out of its cocoon!
I’ve heard stories about a young boy who saw a caterpillar struggling to emerge from a cocoon. He was filled with a great deal of compassion. He wanted to help the poor thing. He wanted to make the caterpillar's life easier. He ran inside the house and begged his mother for a pair of scissors.
The boy's mother knew that he was up to something. She followed him outside. He knelt down and looked again at the struggling caterpillar. It had beautiful wings protruding from its back! But it seemed to be in a great deal of pain as it tried again and again to rid itself of the cocoon that contained it.
The boy, with tears in his eyes cut the cocoon from the caterpillar. He was amazed to see a beautiful butterfly as the remains of the cocoon fell away to the ground.
The butterfly stumbled, limped really, and began dragging its wings behind it. The butterfly’s wings were too heavy. He seemed to not have enough strength to lift his wings an fly!
“Mommy, why isn’t the butterfly flying?” the boy asked his mother with tears in his eyes. She too was crying.
“Honey, you helped too much. That butterfly needed to build his muscles, but you made it too easy for him. He needed to struggle his way out before he could fly.”
“Mommy, I was trying to help him. He was looking’ like he was in pain.”
As the story goes, the butterfly never flew, nor did it ever come to know its full potential. It was crippled for life and continued to drag its wings until a few hours later it died brokenhearted, too weak to go on.
When tough times come the easy and quick fix seems to be the best way to make things better. Tough love is still love! I am a witness that in your struggles through life, you will gain strength! But you must keep your eyes fixed on the Lord. Always go where Jesus goes. If He is standing still don’t move ahead of Him or fall away. Just stand still with Him. Patience is a virtue, a gift. To learn it well is a priceless thing for every believer.
I believe that the Lord is reminding us all in the body of Christ, and also individually about not living up to our full potential in Him. There are believers who would rather stay cozy in their cocoons rather than to try and trust in the Lord. God is not boring. He’s not deaf. He’s not some old guy sitting on a cloud with a large bottle of tobasco sauce! (Like in the old super bowl commercial, LOL!)
The Bible says that God is love. (1 John 4:7-8.) And now, "Love" as in God wants you to be the best version of you that you could ever be in Him! Embrace your trials. Allow them to push you closer to the one True Living God. Take time to struggle into your new strength! Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, do not lean to your own unerstanding! (Proverbs 3:5-7) Now, watch God move in your life as you move, as you struggle into your new strength! And remember this: you 'can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!' (Philippians 4:13).
Thoughts
Have you outgrown something in your life? Is the Lord telling you to move on up to the next level in your walk of faith with Him?
Prayer
Lord, for those of us who may be struggling to grow, help us to have the right attitude and mind of Christ! Make us stronger
Read
Psalm 121, 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 12:9
Song In My Head
‘Glory! Glory in your sanctuary! Splendor and majesty Lord! Before You all life adores You! All the earth will declare that your love is everywhere!’ -All the Earth, Don Moen
