God speaks to us in so many ways, so many times, but because we are looking for the spectacular, hair raising experiences, we actually miss it. Let me explain.

I was meditating on the power of the transformation of the mind. It is not uncommon for me to come back to this every so often for two main reasons: one – I have been on an intentional journey to understand how the mind works and how my internal wiring, disposition and posture shapes my world, and, two – I believe we have grossly underestimated the mind especially as believers. I think we focus on the salvation of our souls and heaven so much that we miss out on living out loud our transformed life.

So, because i think in pictures, let us paint using Romans 12:2 as our canvas, yes? From Romans 1 to Romans 11, Paul starts by explaining to us our fallen state and how God makes sinful man right through faith. He reminds us that none of us is righteous and that we have all sinned and fallen short of His glory. He moves on to show us that despite our fallen state, God loves us – He demonstrated His love for us by loving us while we were still sinners, and that through Christ, the last Adam, we are justified. Paul however warns us that justification is not license to sin – no. It is to help us walk free of condemnation, with the right posture and mindset knowing that nothing can separate us ever again from the love of Christ.

On this premise, we land in Romans 12 where Paul gives us the standard we must live by: Offer your life (your entire existence and everything that comprises it) as a living sacrifice – surrendered, holy and pleasing to God; and, to make a concerted effort not to live like the world – let your mind be renewed so that your life is transformed and in so doing, you live in open display, the will of God for your life. Yes? Ok.

Now, imagine with me the life cycle of a butterfly. I was taught in my science class that it has 4 main stages. It starts off as eggs that grow into a caterpillar (and if you are like me, that gave you goosebumps). It then goes into a chrysalis – hidden and protected – for a few days before it breaks away the shell and out comes a beautiful butterfly. If your teacher was as good as mine, then you will remember they told you that if you interfered with any of the stages – eggs, caterpillar or the chrysalis, you would have aborted the process of transformation and lost the butterfly all together. Yes?

When we come to Christ, our lives are infused by the seed of the word of God. We receive the unadulterated word of God so that we may grow by it. As we read, meditate and work the word of God daily, we grow. Those around you begin to see the change in more ways than one – after all, your growth is multidimensional. So, the evidence of your renewed life and the power of God’s word is seen in more areas than one – it is seen in how you relate with people, your work ethic, your language, choice of friends – in everything. While some change may not be significant, the subtle, incremental changes build up and one day you look back and realize, wow, see how far I have come!

However, this journey also has chrysalis moments – yes. Those ones when it is evident to you and all around you that God is leading you by the backside of the desert, or meeting you alone at the top of the mountain, or allowing you to land in prison. Those moments when you and only you, must walk through as we all stand and watch. Those moments when you are in a service and the instructions you hear are not the same as your neighbor’s and you know you must obey. Ahh, those ones even if we gave you a full day, we will not understand or even offer a solution for what you are going through – the most we can do, is watch. Because just like the chrysalis, any external interference will abort the process. The caterpillar must go through metamorphosis and emerge as a butterfly, it must shed some parts, grow wings, filaments and compound eyes – fully – before it breaks the shell by itself and spread its beautiful wings and fly.

Can you imagine what would happen if the caterpillar decided it must remain a caterpillar, because it is a comfortable state of being? Or if the chrysalis decides it wants to bud and be a flower instead? Isn’t that confusion surely?

But again – isn’t that what we do, when we insist on remaining in our comfort zone, or fighting the catalysts of change that God brings our way? Ati “No Lord. I am not ready for this isolation and silence – i want to keep being a caterpillar coz the leaves are really sweet.” or, even worse “I don’t like the darkness and silence in this cocoon – please break the shell so that I come out” yet the wings are not fully formed. Oh men…. imagine just observing the caterpillar makes sense? You can’t cut short, hasten, jump or wish away the stages – the butterfly is only revealed once the entire metamorphosis cycle is complete!

So, if I were you, I would trust God even in the process. Because believe it or not, we are supposed to change. And if you do not – you will perish. For real!