TODAY’S INSPIRATION: TRANSFORMATION…

What would happen if the caterpillar were not allowed to turn into a butterfly? Would it die? What was interesting in reading about the metamorphosis (transformation) of the caterpillar, is that it was born to grow into a butterfly. There is no way to stop it and if you did find a way it would die. It is amazing how the Christians life is similar to the life of a caterpillar. Reading about the caterpillar, I was reminded that we were created in the image of Christ and as believers, we are new creatures, who are being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. And as we grow in faith, we are being transformed into His image from one degree of glory to another. If we are not willing to be transformed, we will spiritually die.  

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him,” (Colossians 3:10)

“So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Romans 8:13)

In entomology the transformation process for a caterpillar is known as “holometabola, a full change, or the “complete” metamorphosis (transformation) from wormlike larvae to winged butterfly. It is a beautiful story, a caterpillar wraps itself with silk, makes a cocoon, and out comes a butterfly! But there is more to the story, the process itself is not beautiful, it is gruesome. The process of Christians being transformed from the inside out is not always beautiful either. God does not always tell us step by step what He is doing in our lives. It can be scary and sometimes overwhelming. People may look at you as if you are weird and different. The truth is the power to change comes from God’s Word and Spirit, but the desire and willingness must come from us. We must trust God no matter what it looks like. We must humble ourselves and be willing to surrender our life to Him. For a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly, the caterpillar must fall apart completely, totally decompose, losing its shape. It is only then that the butterfly starts to assemble itself from the remains of the caterpillar. We too must completely lose self, empty ourselves, and allow the Holy Spirit to work. We can only become what God originally created us to be when we allow Him to work in and through us. We can only function according to Gods original design and purpose for us when we allow God to transform us to who He original designed us to be. Transformation is the continuous renewal, refreshing, and working of the Holy Spirit within us. As we are being transformed, we will find it easier to focus on what is important in life: which is Christ and spiritual things, not the things of this world.  

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20) 

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2) 

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10) 

 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) 

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) 

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” (Isaiah 26:3-4) 

Caterpillars are targets for birds and other insects and some are destroyed before or during the transformation process. As believers, the enemy targets us constantly. Especially during the fight against our flesh and our spirit. The enemy knows we cannot win the fight without Christ, so he is relentless. His intent is to destroy us. He knows that when we surrender our life to the Lord, we have everlasting life. Satan also knows if we do not, like the caterpillar, we will die. (spiritually) 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10). 

“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1John 2:17) 

“being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) 

“according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:20-21) 

When we get a revelation of God’s desire to have a personal, loving relationship with us and how Jesus has forever made this relationship secure, it becomes real, and we begin to transform. The caterpillar’s body does not die during the transformation process, it dissolves but it does not disappear. It just reassembles itself into a beautiful butterfly. That is what happens with believers, we do not die, we have eternal life. Transformation is a process, and it does not happen overnight. Transformation can be a beautiful thing to experience if we trust God’s process. God is amazing! Love and Blessings…