A man had noticed a chrysalis on the inside window of his garden shed. He was no entomologist but was intrigued to find out what would eventually emerge from it. Would it be a moth or a beautiful butterfly? The day finally came when the creature began to break out from its confinement. The man observed the struggling form and felt sorry for it. He endeavoured to assist its breakthrough by taking a fine scalpel and carefully slitting the outside case. The creature flopped onto the table and died! In his ignorance the man had tried to assist the creature’s metamorphosis, not realising that the struggle was part of God’s design in the final development stage of its body structure. The pressure was a necessary element before the butterfly could emerge, transformed for a new life with wings.
Have we not all, at some stage or another, wanted to be delivered out of a particular circumstance? We judge our lot as negative instead of realising that, with God, we can grow spiritually through it. Here is where I learn to lean on the Lord and trust Him. He is faithful! In the dark, the chaos, confusion, pain or any of life’s woes, God is right there alongside of me. Just like the insect in its straight jacket of a chrysalis, the pressure of life’s negatives can cause me to grow in God. Treasure your negatives, do not despise them but see them as dung to fertilise the life of the Indwelling Christ within.
Jesus said, Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God,” …..in some things?….no!…Heart purity is seeing God in all things. The pressures of life are part of the process of developing spiritual wings to lift me above my circumstances in God. Trials and difficulties are our growth areas by God’s design. He may not have orchestrated them but He will use them for my good according to His word. Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purposes.” As I learn to lean and trust in Jesus, He turns my negatives into His positives. He gives me His enabling strength for my weakness and His joy for my sorrow. When I travel life’s road with Jesus I find the journey can be joyous whatever the circumstance because He is the Source of my joy. John 7:38 Jesus said, “He that believes on me….out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters.” If I keep my eyes on the Source, He will take care of the outflow!
Treasure your negatives and let God use them to develop some gold in your life, for His glory!
