The following nature story, demonstrates the fact that struggles are a necessary part of growth and development for the Christian in this life. God places these struggles (or trials) before us to prepare us for that perfect home in heaven with Him (see here).
One day a small opening appeared on a cocoon. A man sat and watched for the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and could go no further.
The man decided to help the butterfly so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restraining cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, was God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
As Christians, struggles (or trials) are exactly what we need in our life in order to spiritually grow and develop properly. If God allowed us to go through our Christian life without any obstacles, it would cripple us spiritually. We, like the butterfly, would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!
Beloved, let us thank God for our daily struggles (trials) and display the same attitude toward trials as the Apostle Paul in 1 Peter 4:12-13, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
The man decided to help the butterfly so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It was never able to fly.
What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restraining cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, was God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
As Christians, struggles (or trials) are exactly what we need in our life in order to spiritually grow and develop properly. If God allowed us to go through our Christian life without any obstacles, it would cripple us spiritually. We, like the butterfly, would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!
Beloved, let us thank God for our daily struggles (trials) and display the same attitude toward trials as the Apostle Paul in 1 Peter 4:12-13, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
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