A Little Blog About How We Grow & Change

O

nce, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads, there lived a little water beetle in a community of water beetles.
They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond with few disturbances and interruptions. Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and would never be seen again. They knew when this happened; their friend was dead, gone forever.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge to climb up that stem. However, he was determined that he would not leave forever. He would come back and tell his friends what he had found at the top.

When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the surface of the lily pad. He was so tired, and the sun felt so warm, that he decided he must take a nap. 
As he slept, his body changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful blue-tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body designed for flying. 

So, fly he did! 
And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole new world and a far superior way of life to what he had never known existed.

Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking by now that he was dead. 
He wanted to go back to tell them and explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been before. His life had been fulfilled rather than ended. But, his new body would not go down into the water. He could not get back to tell his friends the good news. 
Then he understood that perhaps their time would come, when they, too, would know what he now knew. So, he raised his wings and flew off into his joyous new life!

— Author Unknown And Greatly Appreciated!

This is a very powerful prayer we sing at my church...

Change Me, Lord, 
Change Me, Lord, 
Don't Let Me Stay the Same, Lord, I want to be just like you. 
Take My Heart, Make My Heart, Just What You Want it to be
Lord, Please Change Me, Change Me, Dear Lord.... 

If we spend enough time with Him, God will change us just like He changed the little water beetle. We become a new person in Christ. 
We become the person He intended for us to be before all of the religious training we engaged in messed up our thinking and before all of the ideas and values were dispensed by friends and even family members.

I can honestly say that although I often wish I had known God sooner, I am thankful for the fact that I never experienced very much of that other stuff in my life. Not ever learning it certainly simplified my transition from Gentile to Christian. I seldom wonder where the old me went, I am just very thankful for the changes.

Thinking about this brought to mind the little story of the water beetle. 

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8

If only we could each grasp the concept that we are all much like that little water beetle. All capable of changing into something as beautiful as the blue-tailed dragonfly. Capable because of the great love of Our Father, God.

We may not be water beetles living underneath lily pads, but we are all characters in the Book of Life, and our story has already been beautifully written by Our Father; who wants nothing more than to bless us and fill us with joy.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold new things have come. 

Each and every moment of our lives, both the good and the not so good were observed by the author and the finisher Himself, and used to draw us closer to Him, and be a part in turning us into human versions of the beautiful blue-tailed dragonfly. 

I hope this little dragonfly story blesses you as much as it did me. 
We should always be seeking ways to be more like God and asking Him to change us and make us more like Him. He will introduce us all of the things we have been missing and show each of us that new world to explore so that we too can be fulfilled.