Frequently, God uses nature to teach me things or show me living examples of lessons I am processing. That's why I love to watch animal and nature documentaries. My favorites are the ones produced by the BBC, in particular the Planet Earth and Frozen Planet series. Recently, as I watched an episode of Frozen Planet, I saw a natural phenomenon that moved me deeply. We have all heard of the analogies between the metamorphic process of butterflies and our own lives. We often compare our difficult stages in life to their transformation process, which can resemble our own struggles endured before turning into "butterflies."
However, in my life, I have felt like many times I go through stage after stage and I don't transform into a butterfly! Sometimes I think "certainly after this trial" the long awaited opportunity or moment for which God has been preparing me all these years in the desert will arrive. But, the trial ends and nothing. And then, another harder trial...and nothing. Well, I say "nothing," but I know that there's always something to learn and that every life lesson shapes us more into Jesus' character, if we allow it to. So, let me explain what I want to say with an example from Scripture that we are all familiar with.
When David was just a young man, his job was to take care of his father's sheep. During this time, as he continued growing and maturing, he learned more about God and developed in his love for Him. An unexpected day, Samuel shows up and anoints him as the next king of Israel. Some time after being anointed, David defeats Goliath and marries king Saul's daughter. It's likely he could have thought that he was closer than ever to his reign, after all, he worked for the king and was his son in law! But, that's not how it happened. We know Saul tried to kill David and that David spent years fleeing from the him, living in caves and wilderness strongholds (or hard to reach places). In fact, from the moment he was anointed to when he actually became king, it was about 15 years. Time and time again he faced situations that seemed to be drawing him closer to the destiny God had designed for him, just to be disappointed one more time. We can read about the internal conflict this caused in David in many of the psalms he wrote.
I have never been anointed as the next queen, but from an early age, I have believed God had a calling over my life. However, every time I have been close to what I have thought could be the destiny or plan God has been preparing, something happens and I end up in a "cave" or a valley of loneliness and isolation in which David's psalms are what God often uses to bring hope and comfort to my life.
Others who went through similar processes were Joseph, Moses, Abraham...in fact, the Bible is full of examples like these, because it is precisely in these valleys and caves that God prepares our hearts. And Frozen Planet? Bear with me, I'm getting there.
God created an insect that amazes me: the wooly bear caterpillar. I don't think I have ever felt more identified with any other insect! This caterpillar lives in the arctic tundras, where winter temperatures average minus 34 degrees Celsius (-29.2°F). In spring, the caterpillar eats quickly before the cold weather returns. However, when winter does arrive, the caterpillar does not have enough "reserves" to transform into a moth, a relative of the butterflies.
Since it cannot yet fly, it can't flee the arctic, so it looks for shelter underneath a rock. As
winter moves in, everything freezes up and the caterpillar stops breathing, its heart stops beating, and the blood stops flowing. Essentially, the caterpillar dies. When spring returns and the ice melts, miraculously, the caterpillar revives! As if nothing had happened, it goes back to its feeding frenzy, seeking to fill up for its transformation. But over and over, year after year, it's not enough, it's not ready yet.
According to Frozen Planet, it will be 14 years of this process before the caterpillar is finally ready to turn into a moth!! Year after year, the caterpillar eats and prepares for its destiny. When it's finally ready, it weaves a cocoon, inside of which its body will be transformed, developing wings and its searching abilities, which are crucial to its survival.
In the caterpillar's case, its destiny after all this process is to find a mate and reproduce. In our case, as believers, our maturing processes also tend to bring new life, as we share with others the truth of the Gospel and God's care as he weaves our story, even if it takes us 14 years or more living in a cave or under a rock!
Notice the wonderful symbolism, that the caterpillar looks for refuge under a rock. Scripture teaches us that Jesus is our rock and that we are secure when we build our life upon Him.
"Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command
to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress". Psalm 71:3
He protects us during times of "freezing," in those moments when we feel like the living dead. He revives us, feeds us, cares for us jealously, knowing exactly when is the perfect time to let us fly.
I honestly cried as I watched these dramatic scenes in the documentary, amazed at the incredible design of our Father, who shows us even through insects how much he loves us, and that He cares for us individually and specifically.
When you feel like God has forgotten you, that you are frozen...remember the wooly bear caterpillar. Remember David running for his life, living like a wild animal in the mountains. Remember Moses, caring for loud, dumb sheep in arid lands for 40 years (the same 40 years he would later lead sheep-like people through the desert after delivering them from Egypt). Remember Abraham waiting for the promised son, year after year, wrinkle after wrinkle, white hair after white hair. Remember Joseph, forgotten by everyone, without his family, and imprisoned in a jail that only God knows what the living conditions in it were like. Remember.
Remember God's mercy over your life on other occasions. Remember His provision and His care. Remember the cross. Remember the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. Remember the answered prayers. Remember the parted sea, the manna from heaven, and the gentle whisper of His presence. (Please, read Psalm 78).
Abraham became the father of nations. David, the most important king in Israel's history and one of Jesus' great-grandfathers! Joseph, the second in command in Egypt, responsible for saving the lives of millions of people when there was a seven-year famine. Moses spoke with God face to face, became the most humble man on earth (Nm.12:3), and was one of the men present during Jesus' transfiguration.
We don't know what our role will be in the story God is writing, but whatever it is, it will be good because God designed it. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus' ministry and he ended up beheaded. Still, he fulfilled his destiny, and Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." (Mt.11:11).
Being in a cave or under a rock is not the end of your story. Have courage, keep feeding and filling up your reserves so that, when God says it's time, you can fly.
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All the photos on this post are from Frozen Planet; I did not take these pictures.
Here's a short clip of the wooly bear caterpillar. This is not the one from Frozen Planet, but many of the images used are the same. If you have Netflix, you can watch Frozen Planet there. The caterpillar is found in episode two (Spring). BTW, I also recommend Planet Earth I and II, they are amazing!