The Cocoon

Did you know that when a butterfly is in a cocoon and begins to emerge, it *must* fight it's way out on it's own. If you 'help' it, it will not have enough strength to fly away.


You see, the struggle, to emerge from the cocoon, to free itself from it's ugly black covering, is the exact thing it needs to get it's blood pumping into it's wings. The struggle is what strengthens it enough to flap those wings and fly away. No one can help and if they do, they will actually harm more than help. If the butterfly is not strong enough to fly away, it will starve and die.
Many times we experience those moments in our lives. Sometimes we may not even realize it. Does the butterfly know it's in a cocoon? I don't know. Maybe we don't want change and we fight against it. That very fight, that strength of will, is the very thing that is going to enable us to come out and fly away.


Fly away towards the path God has intended. Fly away from a wounded past that has been holding us back. Fly away for a better view of the world around us. The thing is, no one can help us out of the cocoon. And we can't help another out of their cocoon either. They must fight their way out on their own, lest they lose the ability to build the strength they need. It may feel lonely but it has it's purpose, to build endurance, to build life.


Maybe we do want change and we are fighting to speed up the process. We want OUT and we want out NOW. Are we fully developed enough yet though? Can you hurry change? Has a butterfly ever rushed to escape it's cocoon? If it did would it emerge, perhaps, with only a partial wing? I don't believe a flying creature will be able to fly very well with a partial wing.


The end result of the process will be nice. Don't we all want to be butterflies? Perhaps not. What if we are called to fly away, to use our wings? Will we be leaving behind some dearly beloved caterpillars? That is a fear. A valid fear? Does the butterfly emerge and look back as it flies away? Does it long to be back in the ugly cocoon? I really don't think so.


I imagine, once it feels the freedom, the release from the captivity of that dark cocoon, all fear is gone. All that is felt is the rush of the blood pumping, admiration of the new view, no more looking at dirt all day.

Change can be hard. It can be scary. I think it's ok to struggle with it. We can be afraid of change, it's a challenge. I believe the struggle IS the key component. The butterfly would never emerge as a butterfly, not a living one anyway, if it did not struggle.