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 life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as we could have been. And we could never fly.
Wow, how appropriate is that for me? Well, not really totally for me, but for all of us at some point. A really good friend of mine sent this story to me today, she seems to know exactly what I need to hear, and I thank God for placing her in my life! :) Every one of us will have struggles of some sort throughout our lives. It's a fact of life. Some will have small trials and tribulations, and others will have quite large trials and tribulations. I find that by the struggles I've endured over the last few years has made me stronger. Ok, not physically stronger, but spiritually...and that's all I could want really.
I also can tie this story in to the struggle I've had with not getting listed yet for my lungs. While I so badly want to feel better and get back to "normal"...I don't think that I will ever have "normal" again. I will have a "new" normal. What some people don't understand about transplant is that it is not a quick fix. Sure I will start to get and feel better with my new lungs, but I will be on lifelong medications, and I will always be on the lookout for rejection. I've been told that essentially I am just trading one set of problems for another, and transplant really isn't a "cure"...it's just a "fix". So while I DO get frustrated that things are not moving as quickly as I would like...or think....in terms of getting listed and getting new lungs, I keep in mind that there are reasons why things keep popping up. Just like when I was in the hospital in January and Cleveland was ready to present my case the following week...and then to find out I didn't have the insurance approval. I did have insurance and was furious this was the only thing that prevented my case from being presented. A lot of people were furious for me. Yet, there was a reason why this happened and why I am still not listed yet. It's simply not my time to emerge from my cocoon. (In fact, I'm still the crazy caterpillar waiting to spin that cocoon!) ;)
Only God knows when that time is and will be. Until then, I have faith in Him and that all things will work out for the best.
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
Breathe in faith, breathe out fear!
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