In my previous post, I discussed the first and second stages of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. I ended my last post with the caterpillar shedding its skin until the caterpillar’s skin comes off for the final time. Under this old skin, is a hard protective layer and this layer is called a Chrysalis.
Chrysalis: What is it?
Chrysalis (pronounced Kry-sah-lis) comes from the Greek word ‘khrusallis’ which derives from ‘khrusos’ meaning gold (harūz’ in Hebrew). Chrysalis (also known as Pupa) is defined as ‘a protective covering for the transformation from a caterpillar into winged insect’ (Oxford Dictionary). Chrysalis is a period of metamorphosis when the caterpillar begins to transform into a butterfly.
The reason this covering was named ‘Chrysalis’ (gold) is because the Chrysalis of some butterflies appear to be a gold colour. When I discovered
this, I immediately thought of the process of sanctification that we are going through. Our faith is tested and our character is being refined in fire; that we may look beautiful before Him. Gold looks beautiful in appearance but has a difficult backstory for it to be pure and refined. I also thought about the fact that this is a very hidden process that the butterfly-to be is holding onto a tree in solitude. It makes me think about how the degree to which we are transformed often correlates with the degree to which we hold onto our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes process can be lonely and sometimes, not everyone will get it but the butterfly-to-be cannot avoid those moments in solitude and neither can we.
Chrysalis- The stages
There are different stages that occurs within the Chrysalis and once again like my previous post I have added information from the Scientific American in italics , followed by some things I believe that we can take out of this.
First, the caterpillar digests itself, releasing enzymes to dissolve all of its tissues.
From the outside of the pupa, it looks as if the caterpillar may just be resting, but the inside is where all of the action is. Inside of the pupa, the caterpillar is rapidly changing.
Activity doesn’t always equal productivity. Productivity doesn’t always look like activity. To others, it may seem like you’re not doing enough but you know that you are rapidly changing in this season so that you can change the world drastically. I know everyone’s got a blog and YouTube channel these days and everyone is doing something but because you might not be doing a ‘public’ work right now, it doesn’t mean that God isn’t doing a work internally. Inside the pupa, you are rapidly changing.
Within the chrysalis, the old body parts of the caterpillar are undergoing a remarkable transformation, called ‘metamorphosis,’ to become the beautiful parts that make up the butterfly that will emerge.
So many times, we allow our past mistakes to limit us and put us into condemnation and shame. I have definitely been at a place before where I didn’t see how anything beautiful could come out of my past. But look at this! The old, raggedy, primitive parts of the caterpillar are not only used but necessary for the butterfly-to-be to become a butterfly. What the enemy meant for our harm, God can truly use for our good. The ugly parts of our pasts can be used as a beautiful part of our flight. Did not God create man out of dust? Not out of roses, not out of silk, but out of dust. What may seem like it should be discarded to man, can be the very thing that makes your story beautiful.
Tissue, limbs and organs of a caterpillar have all been changed by the time the pupa is finished, and is now ready for the final stage of a butterfly’s life cycle.
When you come out of Chrysalis, everything changes. The way you think has changed and so therefore, the way you act changes. Metamorphosis has occurred, your form is different and now you’ve got wings to fly. Now that you have changed it is important that you don’t pretend that you are still a caterpillar because of the fear of man. Often times, we can be weary of revealing our changed self around people who knew the old us. We don’t want it to seem like we think we’re better than them or we’ve forgotten where we’ve come from. But the truth is, you are changing into who God called you to be before those people came into existence. So you can’t allow man hinder you from becoming you. You must shake off man’s expectations and pursue your God ordained self.
Summary
From the outside of the pupa, it looks as if the caterpillar may just be resting, but … inside of the pupa, the caterpillar is rapidly changing. < People may not see it instantly but inside the pupa you are rapidly changing.
Within the chrysalis the old body parts of the caterpillar are undergoing a remarkable transformation, called ‘metamorphosis,’ to become the beautiful parts that make up the butterfly that will emerge. < The old, raggedy, primitive parts of the caterpillar are not only used but necessary for the butterfly-to-be to become a butterfly.
Tissue, limbs and organs of a caterpillar have all been changed by the time the pupa is finished, and is now ready for the final stage of a butterfly’s life cycle. < When you come out of Chrysalis, you come out changed. Don’t be afraid to demonstrate that through your actions despite man’s expectations.
I don’t know about you but I’m amazed at how God demonstrates His wisdom in creation. I believe that we’ll go through this cycle of caterpillar to butterfly in various stages in our lives as God desires to birth new things in us. As difficult as it is during the process, we must hold on, if we really want to soar into what God has for us.
