How quickly things have changed. I never would have guessed in February when my mom’s cholesterol spiked that the valley of the shadow of death lay ahead. Yet, here we are.

We don’t know the outcome, we only know that our happy lives in which we were steadily plugging along have forever been altered. Right now, my mom is resting in sedation, experiencing “rebirth” – healing…struggling. But it is not in vain. Because we know suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Rm 5:3&4).

When I woke up this morning, my mom’s smiling face greeted me as it does every morning from the picture I put up of her beside my bed of her smiling at Thanksgiving dinner. As I smiled back at the picture and thanked God for blessing our family by healing my mom, I basked in the Peace of God and a vision of a cocoon settled in my mind.

We: my dad, mom, sister and I, have been living the life of happy fat little caterpillars, plugging along enjoying the Fruits of The Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control (Gal 5:22&23). God has truly met all of our needs and blessed us beyond anything we could imagine. Now with our present sufferings we are in a waiting space…everything has changed. We are in a cocoon: the valley of the shadow of death, being still, knowing He is God, resting in trust and obedience, awaiting metamorphosis.

The restricting cocoon and struggle required for a butterfly to get through the tiny opening when it is time to emerge was by God’s design to force fluid from the body of the butterfly (once a fat little caterpillar) into it’s wings so it is ready for flight once it achieves freedom from the cocoon.

God does not give His children anything we cannot handle.

17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons [and daughters] of God to be revealed (Rm 8:17-19)