Romans 5:3-5

I came across this devotion this afternoon after I had finished my Bible reading today. I had been reading in Romans today and then came across this : isn't it something how God directs us exactly where we need to be or what we need to read, just like this verse, it so touched me today. I hope this devotion touches you also. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Butterflies beautifully exemplify this verse! Spring is a great time to witness the miracle of a lowly caterpillar becoming a magnificent butterfly through metamorphosis. You've probably heard the comparison made of our new life in Christ to the emergence of a butterfly from the cocoon, but did you know this other interesting fact about butterflies and their transformation? When the butterfly is ready to emerge, it may take several hours and a great struggle to break free from its protective barrier. So why not help the butterfly and cut off part of its cocoon? If you do, the creature will have a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. It will never be able to fly. The struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening forces fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings to make them ready for flight. Our struggles in this life serve a purpose too. If we breezed through life without any difficulties, we would not emerge as complete, strong and ready to fly. "Let us also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5: 3-5 (NIV) I love the part about how our struggles serve a purpose. If we think more along these terms instead of questioning or wondering "Why is this happening in my life?" then how much more will we grow as a Christian. Yes, I am guilty of doing this in my own life, especially when something doesn't make sense to me, or I begin to question why. But as I look at some things I have struggled with in the past few years, I can see how they have made me stronger in my faith and drew me closer to the Lord and even changed my way of thinking about people and situations. Even when I wanted to clam up, put up walls to keep others out, the Lord showed me that was not the way. He didn't give up on me when I had given up on myself, and boy am I glad, and I finally hit my knees and said okay Lord, I cannot do this on my own, and I turned it all over to Him and learned to lean on Him and not my self. The other thing I have learned is that the closer we walk with Him, the harder it gets at times, the more struggles we will have, but what a reward is waiting for those who walk the staight and narrow and how humbling to think He chose me as His child. I am trying to learn from my struggles, no matter how small and frequently they may come. As Phillipians 4:13 states " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" My favorite verse!!!