Life In The Cocoon

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.  Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, and the new has come!”  2 Co. 5:16-17.

‘Did you know that as a butterfly is being transformed in the cocoon, the entire process is breaking down their former body?  Much of the body breaks itself down into imaginal cells, which put themselves back together into a new shape.  According to research at Georgetown University, the caterpillars and butterflies that emerge may remember some of their lives as caterpillars [source: Blackiston]. When caterpillars in the study were conditioned to avoid specific smells, they remembered to keep away from those scents as adults.’

We can learn great things from the butterflies that emerge.  They begin crawling around as caterpillars with no view, discontent with the limits of their lives.  They voluntarily begin spinning the silk which turns into their protection during their transformation.  They hope for a new beginning and are willing to go through the work in the darkness of their cocoons to emerge a new creation.  The beauty and new heights for which they soar are worth all of the striving and toiling in the darkness.  They trust the process and surrender to the transformation. 

As Christians, we must surrender to the transforming work of Christ in our lives if we are to be a new creation and have a new shape - a Christ shape.  This life is going to spin hardship and difficulties, but the only way to emerge from the darkness is to be reshaped, renewed and transformed by our experiences.  That is why many times God will allow us to be in the darkness without His intervention.    ‘For your sake, I am glad I wasn’t there…so that you may believe.’ John 11:15.  While He gives us His protection, He will not rush our transformation.

Like the caterpillars, we must avoid the things of our former lives which both distracted and limited us.  God will take us to new heights with emerging faith if we will trust Him in the cocoon.  May we only remember our former lives in terms of avoiding those things that kept us living less than the beautiful child God created us to be.