Becoming a Butterfly

I once heard a message by Joyce Myers where she was talking about the process of Sanctification.  When we are saved, we are instantly justified, but we are not instantly sanctified.  That is a process that takes years, sometimes even our whole lives.  Joyce talked about this as kind of like metamorphosis.  She used the illustration of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.  The metamorphosis taking place is truly a miracle, but it still a process, as God turns a dirty crawling bug into a big beautiful flying butterfly.

This is not unlike our lives.  When we come to Christ we are like the caterpillar, lowly, crawling, and dirty.  But then we accept the gift of Grace and the Holy Spirit comes into our heart and begins the sanctification process.  This is the cocoon.  Like, the butterfly the cocoon is where our transformation takes place.  Unlike, the butterfly we can remain in our cocoon for many many years!  Yet, even as the butterfly emerges a new and beautiful creation; we too will emerge a new and beautiful creation!

Joyce went on to explain the struggle that the butterfly endures as it changes.  And well, I don't know about you, but that certainly is representative of my Christian life.  Life with Christ isn't always easy, but it will always be worth it!

 

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."  Philippians 1:6

 "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"  2 Corinthians 5:17

 "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  Ephesians 2:10