The Butterfly
"Abortion isn’t something you get over. It’s something you work through."
- Ruby Evans, post-abortive grandmother
A Parable... Along a dusty road in India there sat a beggar who sold cocoons.
A young boy watched him day after day, and the beggar finally beckoned to him.
"Do you know what beauty lies within this chrysalis? I will give you one so you might see for yourself.
But you must be careful not to handle the cocoon until the butterfly comes out."
The boy was enchanted with the gift and hurried home to await the butterfly.
He laid the cocoon on the floor and became aware of a curious thing.
The butterfly was beating its fragile wings against the hard wall of the chrysalis until it appeared it
would surely perish, before it could break the unyielding prison.
Wanting only to help, the boy swiftly pried the cocoon open. Out flopped a wet, brown,
ugly thing which quickly died. When the beggar discovered what had happened,
he explained to the boy "In order for the butterfly’s wings to grow strong enough to support him,
it is necessary that he beat them against the walls of his cocoon.
Only by this struggle can his wings become beautiful and durable.
When you denied him that struggle, you took away from him his only chance of survival." - Butterfly Magazine
An Explanation…"The cocoon is the wall or shell we build around ourselves to protect us from the pain of our past.
We want to break free but are afraid to do so. If we don’t know the love of Jesus and someone
else cracks or we attempt to crack our shell we literally die.
We stay in the pain and bondage resulting in addiction, depression, and suicidal thoughts.
Staying in the cocoon is slow death, not really living the full life God intended for us.
God’s love gives us the enabling power and grace to face our shame and pain and run to him for healing.
Others who put band aids on our wounds, even if meant well, deny us the necessary struggle we need to face our pain.
It takes away our very chance of survival.
The greatest gift we can give someone is to lead them to God.
The greatest gift we can give to ourselves is to do whatever it takes to heal.
Just as the woman who was bleeding pushed through the crowd only to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment.
Just like the butterfly beating his wings against the cocoon to break through to freedom."
- Diane, an INFG Rec Weekend participant
Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.
Mark 5:34