Every caterpillar spends his early life crawling on the ground, existing in low-life living, all the while knowing that hidden deep within is a beautiful creature that is meant to soar and fly and live life to the fullest. Eventually he makes the decision that the time is right to change and become the butterfly he was created to be.

The caterpillar knows he has come to the end of himself, and his life as he knows it is about to end. If he goes through with this decision he will cease to exist as a caterpillar. But he also knows it’s time to die to his former self and let it go in order to become what he could be.

Now the work begins. He wraps himself in a cocoon, the burial tomb that will bring about his death as a caterpillar. He knows he must seclude himself from the world for a season in order for the change and transformation to take place. He willingly enters this season of change because he knows the end result will be worth far more than what he must give up now.

Within this dark, silent tomb of seeming death new life begins, and he will be transformed into a totally different being. When the metamorphosis is complete, after a brief struggle a whole new life form, a beautiful butterfly, emerges and prepares to flex his wings. He is ready to enter into a totally new life where he now soars above his former meager existence of crawling through life.

What a beautiful story of transformation! God also wishes to give each of us an opportunity for metamorphosis. When we finally get tired of our crawling existence, we can make the decision to die to ourselves and our former life, wrap ourselves in a cocoon of God’s love and enter a season of seclusion from the world as we know it. When our transition is complete, we emerge a new creation that can now soar into the life God has prepared for us.

The season of seclusion is the only way for the caterpillar to become a butterfly. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, and the new has come!” In order to grab onto the new life God holds out to us, we will need to sacrifice the old life to become the new creation we were meant to be.

A time of seclusion in rehab may be necessary for those who are addicted. A season of separation may be necessary for a failing marriage to be saved. Or perhaps we will have to seclude ourselves from the people and places that kept us trapped in our old lives.

Just as our bodies need time to rest and heal after a serious illness or surgery, so a time of seclusion will strengthen us to start over and begin the new life God has prepared for us. Each day as we can wrap ourselves in the cocoon of God’s love, He helps us to change and grow from the inside out.

Just as the butterfly must struggle to get out of the cocoon to strengthen his wings, so we must also go through struggles to strengthen our faith. But it’s all worth it when we are finally flying high into our best lives, into the lives and purpose we were created for.

Hope Ministries is a Christian counseling center, and we are here to help. If you would like to speak confidentially with someone, give us a call at 845-482-5300.