Strength comes from overcoming obstacles

There are a lot of times in life we question why we have to go through really hard times. Years ago someone shared this story with me. I have probably shared this before with all of you but it just seemed like it was worth sharing it again today:

Parable of the Butterfly

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!            -author unknown

We are stronger than we may feel…

~Amy Rees Anderson

 

4 Comments

  • Jane says:

    LOVE that parable. It adds a deeper dimension to growing through tough times.

  • Valentine says:

    Absolutely! Looking back, my life would not have been this better if I didn’t go through those setbacks. Things would have been all smooth, but I know I would never have had the wisdom and maturity I have now. I must say that I grew up and became better during those struggles. I feel like an old man who has gathered much experience and wisdom out of life. I am so grateful for the obstacles that I passed through. As the wise king Solomon said, “Sorrow is better than laughter, for it makes the heart better. “

  • Manpreet says:

    Thanks

  • Vivienne Segelbacher says:

    WOW!!!

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