Can a caterpillar fly? If you said, "No," you would be partially
correct. Actually, a caterpillar can fly, but it must have a
transformation first.
The butterfly begins life as a caterpillar, a wormlike larva that spins a
cocoon for itself. For weeks, the larva remains hidden within the
cocoon as it undergoes metamorphosis. When it's time for the butterfly
to emerge, it must struggle and fight its way out of the cocoon. We
might be tempted to help this process by tearing open the cocoon - but
that's the worst thing we could do. The struggle makes it strong and
enables it to fly. Butterflies need adversity to become what God
intended them to be. So do we.
The Book of Job is the story of a wealthy and successful community
leader named Job. He was a successful and righteous businessman with
huge holdings of livestock and real estate. One day Satan came before
God and asked him, "Where have you come from?" Satan replied, "From
roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it."
God said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? He is blameless
and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." Notice that God
pointed Job out to Satan! God gave Satan permission to put Job through a
trial of adversity. Job's herds were stolen, his servants were
murdered, and all of Job's children were killed by a sudden tornado.
Through his trial of adversity, he grows in strength, wisdom and faith.
His entire perspective on God is transformed by his suffering. He was
even accused of sin by his closest friends.
We must get beyond the immature notion that God is interested only in
making us healthy, wealthy and happy. More than anything, He wants us
to be like Christ. And the road to becoming like Christ often leads
through the wilderness of adversity.
In order for the butterfly to fly, there must be a transformation process that is often developed through adversity.
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