Do the ups
and downs get to you? Sometimes life's trials can be quite overwhelming. Then,
there are times that everything we do turns to gold.
Have you
experienced these two very opposite contrasts in your lifetime? I can assure
you, I have!
There's not
a one of us that has had as many ups and downs as the caterpillar. Take the
time to watch him as he moves. Every step requires his body to go up and down
many times. This little guy just keeps on pushing forward even with all the ups
and downs. He never gives up.
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;
continuing instant in prayer; (Romans 12:12)
We need to
be more like the caterpillar. Set your eyes on a goal. No matter what gets in
front of you, no matter how many times situations get you down, just keep on
keeping on – knowing the end result is far greater than the pain you are
enduring.
Parents,
there is a valuable lesson here in rearing your children also. If the
caterpillar never experiences the traumatic stages of life, he will never
develop into a beautiful butterfly.
When you
are a helicopter mom or dad and hover over your children, this can be harmful
to your child. You don't want them experiencing anything bad, sheltering them
from daily battles. This act keeps them from developing fully.
It's the
ups and downs and the hard things in life that develop and prepare the child
for a greater life.
Before
changing into a beautiful butterfly, the caterpillar has to experience the
stages of struggles in its life.
After this
creature has gone through the trials of daily living, one day it will attach
itself to a branch and will spin silk around itself. The caterpillar appears to
be motionless inside of this cocoon. Even though we can't see what is taking
place, there is one of the most awesome transformations occurring. It will
emerge from its cocoon and we will be able to see its magnificent beauty.
This little
creature still isn't finished with the process of its ups and downs of growing.
If the caterpillar stopped at this stage and didn't complete the last step, he
would never fly.
The
caterpillar must still go through one more struggle – HUGE struggle. Once it
emerges from its cocoon, it sits with its wings hanging downward. Attached to
the cocoon, it starts to pump fluid through its wings.
One breath,
two breaths, "ah, that should do it." No, he must keep this process
up for close to two hours! When he has completed all these struggles, that's
when this magnificent creature is ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
When we
attach ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, he will help us go through all of
those struggles and there will be nothing that can stop us from being like the
caterpillar that has gone through metamorphosis, "Beautiful, equipped with
what we need, ready to do his service.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love
of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)
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