The Butterfly

One day as a small opening appeared on a cocoon, a man sat for several hours watching the butterfly struggle to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no further. 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 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 was nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings. Then the butterfly would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If we were allowed to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could be. We could never fly.

I asked for Strength,
And God gave me Difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for Wisdom,
And God gave me Problems to solve.

I asked for Prosperity,
And God gave me Brain and Brawn to work.

I asked for Courage,
And God gave me Danger to overcome.

I asked for Love,
And God gave me Troubled people to help.

I asked for Favors,
And God gave me Opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted
I received everything I needed.

Anonymous