Chrysalis
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
In the past two weeks we have acquired a few of our favorites around the farm – monarch caterpillars. We have been waiting weeks to see if they would adorn our little milkweed plants once again. Alas they came and went to town with their little hungry bellies.
Currently we have 7 chrysalis that formed in various places throughout the netting. With closer inspection I noticed that one has an extra black substance near the hook site. After inquiring to my aunt about it, she suspected it could be damaged from the wind we recently had.
The wind was so fierce that it knocked the poor things off of the table and in front of the back porch door. When my girls and I got home that evening, we quickly moved them inside so they would be safe from the storm outside. She also mentioned that perhaps it’s a little blood from it being wounded. Only time will tell if it’s permanently damaged or if it will emerge unscathed.
In our own life journey’s, there are so many things that could hinder our growth either from external influences or internal ones. External things being life circumstances, economy, loss of a loved one, other people’s actions towards us directly or indirectly. Internal things being things like secret sin, our thought patterns, our own actions, strongholds or bad habits.
Often times the result of these influences are not seen until later on in our life. Although there are times when the effect is instant. Much like these little caterpillars the trauma of a windstorm or being tossed across the porch didn’t affect it until it came time to form the chrysalis. The time and place where everything from this season of life gets wrapped up all together. The good and the wounded parts.
I have to say that it is in my most wounded and alone seasons when I have grown the most. They propelled me to be the better version of myself. Sure, there was struggle, sure there were things that were left unhealed or transformed. Just like that little black spot on the hook of the cocoon.
But you know what? True genuine transformation will cause those things to fall off of us eventually.
When that butterfly emerges from it’s cocoon the part that was meant to be a hinderance will fall away and will no longer remain attached to it.
Only time will if you’ve healed enough for a new season. I’ve certainly noticed a time or two the little black things at the end of my cocoon that shouldn’t have been for one reason or another.
No matter the hinderance don’t let it stop you from reaching the full potential God has for you.
