Strength from the struggle

Wrapped tightly in its woven, silk cocoon, a caterpillar begins to change into a butterfly.  If released too quickly from its chrysalis, it doesn't have the strength in its wings to fly.  It takes the struggle of breaking through the cocoon to move the necessary fluid into the butterfly's wings so that they will be strong enough to fly.  Without the struggle, the butterfly can't emerge from the protective shell and the timing of the release, although unknown in length, is vital to the butterfly's survival.

It's so easy to give up in the struggle.  It's tempting to wrap up in a protective cocoon and just let the world slip by unnoticed.  It's easier when I feel weak to simply give in and say that I am not strong.  I want to learn to be like the butterfly.  I want to fight through the struggle, not knowing where it will end, but knowing that something beautiful will emerge at the end.

The struggle to be disciplined, the struggle to be patient, the struggle to be faithful - all of this produces in me a strength that I don't recognize until I burst out of the chrysalis and discover that my wings are strong enough to carry me.