You Can’t Stay in the Cocoon Forever
Have you ever noticed how nature teaches us profound spiritual truths? Sometimes, God uses the simplest things—like butterflies—to remind us that transformation takes time, process, and purpose. This is for anyone who’s been waiting, wondering, and growing quietly in the dark. Maybe it’s about that time… time to fly.
One month, I noticed an alarming number of butterflies and moths around. I mean a lot! It appeared that whatever was in a cocoon state had suddenly transformed. So I deduced that it must be about that time. Time to transform!
People often talk about this amazing, transformational process that moths and butterflies endure. It is one of those astounding creation stories that only God could have orchestrated—and one that He certainly wants us to learn from. The incredible stages they go through to become these beautiful creatures are fascinating. Call me weird, but I learn a lot from nature!
So what can this act of nature teach us?
Firstly, our butterfly friends can’t decide, “You know what, let’s scrap all that dark, wrapped-up, waiting thing. I know what I’m meant to be, let’s get on with it.” They can’t. It simply doesn’t work that way for them—or for most of us!
No one wants to walk through valleys of darkness, no one wants to wait, but that is simply how it works for most of us. It’s a process! A necessary process that probably shouldn’t be hurried or negated. It is understood that if you rip the cocoon open to help the butterfly out, they die! Why? Because that’s not how it is meant to happen!
Often, we want to transform as quickly as we can. We don’t understand why no one is helping us, why the world seems to be watching us struggle, or why everyone else seems to be moving forward except us. But there is a reason. YES, there are times when human assistance is definitely needed! But often, in our personal, intimate storms, we are meant to work through the process until we truly become who we are meant to become.
You see, as we sit on the backside of the hot desert for what seems like forever, we are acquiring the required training and development for our next phase!
“To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
BUT PLEASE REMEMBER—we are never meant to stay in our cocoons forever. Like our butterfly friends, there is a season to come out and fly! There comes a point in our adult lives where we must acknowledge the lessons learned, acknowledge that we have now changed forever, and fly!
If you are in a dark, wilderness season, and decades have passed, then perhaps you may need to seek some help?
We are meant to fly! We are meant to become beautiful creatures that change the world with our gifts, talents, and abilities. Note the variety of butterflies that exist, each one strikingly beautiful in its own right—that’s us!
Your transformational process is not for you to look in the mirror and say, “Look at me now!” or post everything to social media hoping your haters notice. Your inner beautification is meant to manifest the glory of God and bring light to this oftentimes dark and dreary world.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away—behold, new things have come.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
A point to note: a butterfly NEVER returns to its cocoon—NEVER! Be determined to ensure you have truly transformed (meaning you are never going back to what was) and that you haven’t simply changed for a season.
Also, remember, our butterfly friend still probably encounters trials outside the cocoon, but these never stop him from being a butterfly!
So, for those willing to receive it, and you know that you have worked through your cocoon process(es), I declare:
“IT’S ABOUT THAT TIME!”
It’s time to transform, be beautiful, and fly!
“But those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will lift up their wings like eagles.”
— Isaiah 40:31
Flying with you,
Coach D
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