For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18
I read a story about a family who had found two chrysalides and brought them inside to watch the butterflies emerge.
Within a few days, the first butterfly began his ordeal of squeezing, forcing and fighting his way out. After such a struggle, it was exhausted and lay motionless for several minutes. The family was afraid the butterfly was dead, but then it spread its beautiful wings and flew out the nearby window.
After seeing the struggle the first butterfly went through, the dad sliced the second chrysalis open with a razor blade, hoping to save that butterfly all that pain and difficulty. They were surprised when, instead of flying away, the butterfly died moments after leaving its chrysalis.
What they didn’t realize is that the struggle is critical for developing the butterfly’s wings.
Blood is infused into the wings along with other nutrients which will give the wings the stability and strength necessary for flight.
If there is no struggle, there is no strength.
It is no different for us. Our struggles are difficult, agonizing, painful, exhausting … and necessary. It is during those hard times that we are infused with strength, His strength.
The struggles are the very way we abandon our old life, and our old ways of thinking and embrace Christlikeness.
They reveal the faithfulness and presence of God in the midst of those hard times.