One of our favorite summer activities to do with children is to hunt and collect Monarch caterpillars, feed them milkweed leaves until they make their chrysalis and then release them after they’ve birthed.
We’ve even planted milkweed seeds in our own garden to attract the butterflies to lay their eggs close to our home. Once we find an egg or caterpillar on a leaf we transfer them to a container in our family room.
We marvel at how fast they can eat a whole milkweed leaf (we are sure The Very Hungry Caterpillar was a monarch!) and how quickly they grow. Every day there are changes. Once the caterpillar starts hanging out on the roof of the container we know he has eaten his fill and will begin forming his chrysalis soon. The chrysalis making process is an awe-inspiring motion of tucking and weaving and it happens very fast. If you walk away, he could be fully surrounded in his green sleeping bag before you get back.Read More
As the caterpillar hangs in his chrysalis for 10-14 days you will be very tempted to want the butterfly to birth early. You look at the container and nothing seems to be happening, there are no new developments and it is boring during this stage. As an adult who has watched this process happen a lot, I can tell you, you really don’t want to rush the process.
Butterflies that hatch early usually aren’t strong enough to fly or live very long. They can be born with an unfolded wing, an undeveloped leg and your heart will break. Watching a crippled butterfly struggle to survive is harder than waiting for him to be strong, healthy, sit on your finger and then when he’s ready – fly high! There is such joy in seeing him soar through your yard as your eyes follow him from tree to flower to leaf and just sailing, dancing and floating through the air.
We often want God to rush answers to our prayers. Nothing seems to be happening, you wonder if He was even listening. He was, He is. God is all-knowing, all-seeing, all-wise knows that waiting will make us stronger and healthier and make it easier for us to fly high, soar and dance.
Pray your prayer, ask God to answer your heart’s desire, and then wait for Him in the chrysalis of faith. Believe in God who loves you and has your very best in mind. Don’t try to force it to happen, wait on Him. You may be tempted to step out and try to make things happen but God will give His best to those that wait on Him. He loves you!
The Lord is good to those who wait for Him. He is good to those who look for Him. Lamentations 3:25 ERV
Father God, help us to wait on You. Help us to trust You, remembering how much You love us and want the very best for us. You are a good, good Father who won’t give a child a stone when he/she wants bread (Luke 11:11.) Thank you.