Emerging Butterflies

Posted on July 20, 2018 by America's Keswick in Victory Call

Butterflies are interesting creatures, aren’t they? They start as creepy, crawly caterpillars and eventually cocoon themselves until one day, they spread their new wings and fly away as a beautiful, new creation. If they didn’t take that step to cocoon themselves, or if stayed in their chrysalis and never broke free, they would never experience what it is to fly, what it is to soar. They would stay crawling on the ground, never reaching their full potential.

Have you ever gone through a season of your life where you’re struck with disappointments and you find yourself living in the past? Maybe you sometimes catch yourself second-guessing your decisions (even if they were the ‘right’ ones), or maybe you’ve found your mind clouded by thoughts of “if only I had done this differently” or “I wish I could go back and fix this.” Maybe your regret or disappointment is based on sin, or maybe it’s based on circumstances that were totally beyond your control and you wish it would have gone differently! I think we’ve all been there.

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:12-14

“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.” – Proverbs 4:25

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.” – Isaiah 43:18

As Christians, we are like butterflies. We were once ruled by sin, and now we are a new creation, and just as there is a process that takes place when the butterfly cocoons itself, we go through a sanctification process as we follow the Lord and pursue holiness. The caterpillar’s goal is to become a butterfly, our goal is to become more like Jesus.

Here’s the thing about butterflies: they cannot go backwards. They cannot cocoon themselves, become a butterfly, re-cocoon themselves, and go back to being a caterpillar. That’s absurd! As Christians, we also cannot live in the past. I mean, we could, but it would hinder our growth and our sanctification. Sure, we might grieve our sins or grieve our disappointments, but God doesn’t want us to live there. When Peter denied Jesus, he was overcome with guilt and went back to fishing until Jesus’ resurrection, when Jesus forgave him and told him to “get back in the game.” If Peter had lived in his past mistakes, he wouldn’t have been usable by God – and he was foundational in establishing the church and leading so many unbelievers to Christ!

Jesus came so that we may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10)… let’s walk in that today, keeping our eyes fixed forward!

Erin Culleny serves as a Marketing Assistant and Staff Writer. She loves encouraging women through her Victory Calls and finds such joy in praying for her sisters in Christ. Her favorite activities include reading her Bible, encouraging others with scripture, buying new makeup, buying dresses, and eating at the Cheesecake Factory… In that order!

The Daily Bible Reading: Hosea 1-7 |You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Daily Quote: “God takes our sins – the past, present and future and dumps them in to the sea and puts up a sign that says, ‘NO FISHING ALLOWED.'” -Corrie ten Boom

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy. Psalm 147:11