Posted by RosieJ (209.215.49.66) on March 15, 2000 at 11:11:25:
This is a beautiful story. I hope you all enjoy it.
> > >The Butterfly
> > >
> > >One day a small opening appeared on a cocoon. A
man sat and
> > >watched for the butterfly for several hours as it
struggled to
> > >force its body through that little hole. Then it
seemed to stop
> > >making any progress. It appeared as if it had
gotten as far as it
> > >could and it could go no further. So the man
decided to help the
> > >butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped
off the
> > >remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then
emerged easily,
> > >but it had a swollen body and small, shriveled
wings.
> > >
> > >The man continued to watch the butterfly because
he expected that,
> > >at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand
to be able to
> > >support the body, which would contract in time.
Neither happened!
> > >In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life
crawling around
> > >with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never
was able to fly.
> > >
> > >What the man in his kindness and haste did not
understand was
> > >that the restricting cocoon and the struggle
required for the
> > >butterfly to get through the tiny opening were
God's way of
> > >forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into
its wings so
> > >that it would be ready for flight once it
achieved its freedom
> > >from the cocoon.
> > >
> > >Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in
our life. If God
> > >allowed us to go through our life without any
obstacles, it would
> > >cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we
could have been.
> > >
> > >We could never fly.
> > >
> > >I asked for Strength.........And God gave me
difficulties to make
> > >me strong.
> > >I asked for Wisdom.........And God gave me
problems to solve.
> > >I asked for Prosperity.........And God gave me
brain and brawn to
> > >
> > >work.
> > >I asked for Courage.........And God gave me
danger to overcome.
> > >I asked for Love.........And God gave me troubled
people to help.
> > >
> > >I asked for Favors.........And God gave me
opportunities.
> > >
> > >I received nothing I wanted. I received
everything I needed.