A man found a cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. On that day, a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the moth for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.
Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck. Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining big of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.
It was never able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Freedom and flight would only come after struggle.
By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we were to go through out life without any obstacles, we would be crippled.
We would not be as strong as what we could have been.
It is so hard to remember this at times & especially hard when we see those we love struggle, & even harder when we struggle with them (IE: Our children). It is important to remember God has a plan & unfortunately in this sinful world - struggle is apart of it - each of us will experience times of suffering. It usually hits when we least expect it - just when we think life is perfect -everything changes.
Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. It just seemed to be stuck. Then the man, in his kindness, decided to help the moth, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining big of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.
The man continued to watch the moth because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.
It was never able to fly.
What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was the way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.
Freedom and flight would only come after struggle.
By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the moth of health.
Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If we were to go through out life without any obstacles, we would be crippled.
We would not be as strong as what we could have been.
It is so hard to remember this at times & especially hard when we see those we love struggle, & even harder when we struggle with them (IE: Our children). It is important to remember God has a plan & unfortunately in this sinful world - struggle is apart of it - each of us will experience times of suffering. It usually hits when we least expect it - just when we think life is perfect -everything changes.
Our lives & parenting is much like that of the butterfly or moth - we may not gain our heavenly wings without enduring life's struggles first.
"But those who suffer He delivers in their suffering; He speaks to them in their affliction." Job 36:15
"Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12
"Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." James 1:12
