During my research, I came upon the tale of the caterpillar. In its infancy, it's far from exquisite and squirms around on its stomach, but later morphs into a beautiful and delicate butterfly.
Long before the caterpillar turns into a butterfly, it prepares its own cocoon as if it were dying. What the caterpillar perceives as the end of its life is actually the beginning. The caterpillar knows intuitively when it's time to start spinning its bed. You never see other caterpillars crawling over to tap soon-to-be butterflies on the shoulders and saying, "It's time."
We are shaped into the person we become from the moment of our conception, no matter how it appears. Jeremiah 1:5 says it best: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." The story about the butterfly and its transformation is profound. Let's take a look at what this could mean for you and the transformation of your life.
It's intuitive. Change is intuitive. So many people are waiting for permission to pursue their dreams, waiting for someone to validate them or to assure them that they can indeed achieve their goals. However, the path is crystal clear when the "knowing" is intuitive regardless as to what others may say about your decisions.
The caterpillar sheds its old skin, which forms the chrysalis cocoon and goes inward for a few days [for some of us this could be weeks, months or even years]. The caterpillar doesn't go inside the cocoon and unzip its caterpillar suit for a butterfly suit. It becomes a puddle of liquid that some affectionately refer to as a digestive soup. The liquid chooses parts of the caterpillar to hold fast and destroys the rest. At that point, it creates new tissue.
But it's far from over.
The butterfly then has to fight, and fight hard, to get itself out of the chrysalis. Moreover, if someone tries to help the butterfly, it dies. It's the process of working to free itself that gives it the strength and developmental time that it requires to actually survive.
What a powerful story! Then, watch the butterfly take flight.
You can be exactly where you want to be in your life. Be like the butterfly, flitting about and enjoying your beautiful appearance – your new life. Get the message that it's time to transition – time to do something different, clues are all around you. Don't be like the man who lay by the pool for 38 years, and never got in the water, because someone always got in his way. It could be you, lying in a puddle of what once was you and what may be the new and improved you.
Don't sit around waiting for someone to give you permission to pursue and achieve your dreams, go for it, now!
Hard work never hurt anyone, not as long as it's safe and led by God. Obstacles are indeed learning curves, and they're the doorway to your inner strength. When you do that, you're on the right track!
It's time to step fully and totally into the new you; let go of everything in your life that's not serving you well, as I've done this past year.
After my father passed last July, I remember looking at him in the casket in his pastor's robe, and I thought to myself, "I'm going the same way one day, and I've had these dreams, some of which I've acted on and others I haven't. Now, is the time to get started, and I can't leave any stones unturned. I must work while its day, for night is coming, when no man can work.
With each step you'll feel more in control of your life. There's no doubt that there's a butterfly waiting to emerge!
Lyndia Grant, is a religious columnist, inspirational speaker, and radio talk show host on WYCB-AM, a Radio-One station; call 202-518-3192, visit Lyndia's website at www.lyndiagrant.com; or send emails to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it