As I was finishing up with some work one day, I suddenly was drawn to thoughts on the butterfly. The butterfly and its story have been highlighted to me a lot recently. I had a sudden image come to mind of the butterfly’s transformation process, and I quickly went to find a picture as I pondered what the message was.
I’ve thought of how the process of transformation may not always look pretty, how it can even be hard when the process leads us to a dark, isolated, and lonely place, a place where all we can do is wait and go through the process. There is nothing we can do to rush it and must let patience do its perfect work in us.
James 1:4 (NKJV) But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Speaking from my own experience, when we don’t know why we are where we are (or maybe only have an idea), or how long we will be there, perhaps the best thing to do is stay focused on the One that knows it all. When we become engulfed in seeking His face to know Him more and just enjoying our relationship with our Heavenly Father, we aren’t so consumed by how long the process is taking. Our time and energy are not spent worrying or being frustrated.
Indeed, waiting can be hard in its longevity, and not knowing the why, what, when, and how long has the potential to lead to discouragement. But when our eyes remain fixed on Jesus our Lord, we receive hope and encouragement knowing that we are in good hands even when we don’t know these things. All we need to know is that we are covered by the One who governs our life, trusting He is at work and keeping us in the direction of our destiny.
In the place of transformation, although at times it may not feel like the ideal place to be, we can rest assured; God is preparing and beautifying us in the process. And when He is finished, there will be no denying the work of His hands.
James 5:7-11 (NKJV) Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See howthe farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT) Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.