Spring has sprung and it is evident everywhere you look in my corner of the world. Flowers are blooming, leaves are popping out, and pollen is covering pretty much everything! While taking a walk in the cool spring air yesterday, I came across a beautiful butterfly garden. The butterflies were breaking out of their tiny cocoons and flitting around from flower to flower. Beautiful! As I watched their dazzling display of grace and beauty, a few things came to mind:
We are designed to change
We came into this world helpless and depending on milk to nourish us. As we grew, we learned how to walk, talk, and began to rely on solid food to make us healthy and strong. We matured through lessons both good and bad, we gained strength and wisdom, all while still relying on God to sustain us. Throughout our lives, God has loved us too much to leave us where we are. We were designed to grow and evolve according to His magnificent plan.
God protects us through change
Just as God protects the caterpillar as it transforms into a butterfly, God protects us as we change. Although we may not always feel free from attack, God only allows contact with the slings and arrows that can shape, teach, and transform us. All the rest He shields us from, and trust me, if you’re busy growing for God, the attack is real! While we may not be surrounded by a cocoon, God does hold us in His arms as we grow and change into the people He intends us to be. Unfortunately, all to often, we try to break free from His grasp not knowing the protection it provides and some never fully form. When we trust His process, we are released from the cocoon only when we are ready for what lies ahead.
Change is extraordinary
There are few things more beautiful than a butterfly. They are delicate yet strong, beautiful yet intelligent, graceful yet purposed. I wonder if they appreciate that they used to just be a worm? Yes, I know they were a caterpillar, but the point still remains that they moved from something ordinary to something extraordinary! And so can we! God can do so much with a surrendered heart – taking us from the worms that we are to the butterflies we can become all for His glory. Believer, He is doing a new thing in our lives – we need only trust His plan and His timing.
My heart is especially tender to God’s grace and His timing because He decided to take my mother home this week. She has moved from a failing earthly body to an eternity with God, just as He planned. God has designed us for a purpose, He will protect us in the process, and He will be glorified in the changes! You and I can count on it!
Be blessed!
Jennifer
“Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:5