Caterpillars and Christ

I keep telling God I'm wrestling with Him. I'm determined to become like Him, to know His thoughts and wisdoms and to live close to His heart. He's promised these things to me, and I keep telling Him-just as Jacob wrestled with You for his blessing, I will wrestle for Your promises. I will struggle with man and God and overcome. I'm holding on, and not letting go.

Here's the funny thing though, even know I'm the one who declared this wrestling match with God, I still need encouragement from Him in it. God is graciously kind enough to constantly remind and reveal to me He is indeed changing me as I grip onto Him. Tonight, He spoke the most beautiful thing to me-which I felt could be applicable to so many.

I hesitate to tell you of the analogy God spoke to me in fear of its cliche origins, but my heart feels more at rest during this time than it ever has before. Tonight, as I was praying and reading my mind became flooded with thoughts of caterpillars and cocoons and butterflies. I know the very evident knowledge of the basic metamorphosis, but I knew this went deeper than that. As I googled I prayed God would lead my clicking abilities (Ha! Kind of funny...). So...as I-Sarah the caterpillar googled, I came across a website and first line read, "Caterpillars are the immature stage of butterflies". Go figure, I began to cry. I know there are immaturity's in me God is pressing His finger heavily upon. While it may sound silly, it gives me such relief it doesn't just say "Caterpillars are immature". No, it says they are the immature STAGE of BUTTERFLIES. It's a stage; a stage that develops into something beautiful and radiant.

I keep reading and come across their eating habits: "Caterpillars start eating like crazy and building their tent...during the growing process they can eat every leaf from a tree". Tears well up in my eyes, yet again (typical, right?). I take this as my instruction. Eat everything I can. The Bible tells us its scriptures are the Bread of Life. I want every bit of knowledge and taste of God I can swallow. I want to eat until the tree is left bare.

"Once the caterpillars are grown, they wander off and hide themselves in well protected places." When I first began going through my "quarter-life crisis" as I was calling it, God spoke to me that I'm in a safe place. As I've been questioning everything and challenging every way of life and not-stated-clearly Biblical concept, God's said: It's safe here. As long as I'm hidden in Christ (Col 3:3), I'm well protected.

I just began praying and crying in a joyful way of the caterpillar stage I'm in. I know the butterfly is just around the corner, and I'm so thankful the God of the universe cares so deeply for me and His church to radically change my life and my thoughts and reveal more and more of Himself to me! I also read a caterpillar grows to about 27,000 times the size it was when it emerged from its egg. To put this in human terms: A baby weighing 9lbs at birth would weigh about 243,000lbs as an adult. If I continue to go along with God speaking to me of my caterpillar state, I can grow to be 27,000 times I was as child. I am not limited in my mind, heart or soul. I am not confined to this world, but live in the limitless world of Jesus Christ!

Oh, How my heart longs to grow and eat and transform! I LOVE this year. I've never felt so challenged, encouraged and full of joy. I feel so uncertain of where God is leading my path, but I know it one of strength, maturity, beauty and grace. Thank You God for your precious care of Your children.


Phillipians 3:13-14
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Over and out.