One day, a man was watching a butterfly break out of its chrysalis. Upon seeing the violent struggle, he took it upon himself to use a stick and help the butterfly break free.
After finally breaking the barriers of the chrysalis and setting the butterfly free, the man noticed that the butterfly's wings were distorted and its belly was swollen with fluid.
Disproportionate and unable to fly, the butterfly eventually fell to the ground and died.
The man didn't know what he'd done wrong. He was perplexed and disappointed, taken aback by the unfortunate consequence of his actions.
"Wasn't I helping?"
he thought to himself.
"Why did the butterfly die?"
Monarch butterflies are fascinating creatures. As you probably know, they begin as tiny eggs, grow into caterpillars, form their cocoons, and eventually emerge as beautiful butterflies.
Before you click off, no: this is not going to be an article on the the symbolic meaning of a butterfly's transformational process (that'd be too cliché!).
Today, I'd like to look at the stage between a butterfly's chrysalis, its emergence, and the struggle that ensues in between.
Unbeknownst to the man, the butterfly's struggle is a crucial aspect in its freedom from the chrysalis.
The butterfly needs the struggle in order to survive.
It is in the struggle of attempting to break free that the fluid in its belly is used to inflate its wings, enabling the butterfly to fly. As the wings inflate, the body of the butterfly attains its normal proportions.
I can't help but use this story as a metaphor for the struggle that takes place for us within the process of our potential.
Within it's chrysalis, the butterfly rests in a state of incubation, immersed in the prospect of its potential.
But it will only ever become something, reach its final form, after the struggle.
There is no other way. There are no other alternatives. For the butterfly, it is either departure or death — emergence or elimination.
It must break free.
The butterfly is not entertained with the idea of being confined in its chrysalis forever; it must either fly or die.
We, too, need a struggle. God, as a good Father, isn't going to just hand us everything on a silver platter!
Much like the struggle develops the wings of the butterfly, God understands that a struggle is needed in order to develop our character, confidence, independence, and faith — the very same things that will enable us to fly successfully.
Furthermore, the belly of the butterfly is filled with what it needs to emerge, to fly; and it is developed in the confinement of the chrysalis.
Listen: what you need to succeed is already inside of you.
But it is in the struggle that all of your experience, pain, effort—the fuel for your future— becomes useful in inflating your wings for takeoff.
Then, you can emerge as a bold, beautiful butterfly.
There is always a struggle involved in the process of potential; but you have the choice between departure or death; emergence or elimination.
Emerge from your chrysalis bold and beautifully.
Struggle. Emerge. Fly!
Thanks for reading!
Reflect:
Is there a chrysalis you're attempting to break free from in your life?
If so, in what ways are you struggling to emerge?
How can your struggles strengthen you to soar?
Crystal ❤️