The caterpillar is growing. Growing quickly. "As it eats, the caterpillar's skin gets tighter. It will shed this tight skin four times before it is fully grown, emerging larger and with new skin underneath."
I love this analogy! Kinda gross, as we can actually observe our little caterpillars already beginning this process. They have already shed their skin one time. There sitting behind them is this little ball of black skin - it looks like the caterpillar, just a little ball of caterpillar skin, peeled off and left behind.
What layer are you ready to peel off an leave behind? What is hindering you to grow? What has wrapped so tightly around your life that you are feeling the restriction? Are you ready to rid yourself of that hindrance? Are you ready to get rid of it and grow? Ready to move to the next stage of life and blessing?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that HINDERS and the SIN that so easily ENTANGLES. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" Hebrews 12:1
We have to throw off that sin. That entangling and hindering sin, so that we can RUN!
Not only do we have to throw it off, we need to get rid of it. Let me share just a few of the places God calls us to do this in His word.
"GET RID of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 3:31-31
"Put to DEATH, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You USED TO walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also RID yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have TAKEN OFF YOUR OLD SELF with its practices and have PUT ON THE NEW SELF, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." Colossians 3:5-10
"Therefore, get RID of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:21-22
"Therefore, RID yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind." 1 Peter 2:1
Rid: "to clear, disencumber, or free of something objectionable, to relieve, to deliver or rescue; to eliminate or discard"
Such a little word with such a big meaning! May we evaluate our lives before God and get RID of these things that are hindering us from growing; from growing in Him and in His plan and purposes for our lives! Just as the caterpillar has gotten rid of that skin, we too can look back at our "dead skin" and see how gross it is. Actually see that we in fact don't need it any more - we are actually better off without it.
Much love to you from me who is too, getting rid of those entangling things that are hindering me. Remember it is a process and God promises to help you - but the point today is realize we do in fact have something to get rid of.
