Struggle Is the Way

If I were to tell you struggle is the way to strength, you might throw rocks at me. I know hearing the truth often hurts, so aim well.

I’m cowering and peeping through my hands to determine if it’s safe to stand. It is? Good. Thank you.

I may invite an old-fashioned stoning with this one, but I’ll even go as far as saying struggle is necessary.

Perhaps an assurance that the strength you gained will dull the memories of the struggles you endured? And might it encourage you to put down the rocks?

The Purpose of Struggle

Before I ask you to join me in admitting struggle is necessary, let’s seek to understand its purpose.

Nature is replete with lessons regarding the purpose of struggle. The metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly fascinates me. Precisely because of the struggle it must face in order to transform it into a beautiful new creature.

I love jumping into stories that illustrate deep meanings. Join me, please.

While exploring outdoors, Liza and her friend Danielle crouched down to watch a caterpillar crawl across the dirt. “Let’s take it home and watch it grow!” shouted Liza. Once home, Liza’s dad encouraged her to make a home for it in a mason jar. She gathered some grass and twigs, making its new home as much like nature as possible.

Every day after school, Liza and Danielle ran to Liza’s room to note any changes in the caterpillar. Something strange happened one Tuesday. The furry caterpillar was gone and in its place was a wood-colored casing.

Going Through Metamorphosis

In science class last year, Liza and Danielle learned the casing was a cocoon, but they couldn’t remember the cocoon’s purpose. “The cocoon is the caterpillar’s temporary housing while it’s going through metamorphosis,” Liza’s father explained. “If you’re patient, your caterpillar will become a beautiful butterfly.”

Liza and Danielle rushed home each day to see the changes. One Friday, Liza noticed a small hole at the bottom of the cocoon. “I can see it’s starting to come out of the hole,” Liza squealed. “It looks like it’s struggling,” said Danielle. “That’s so sad.”

Liza and Danielle quickly ate dinner, so they could watch the butterfly emerge from the cocoon. But it was taking forever! And the butterfly was really struggling to get out. Maybe it needed help.

Danielle grabbed a pair of scissors and made the tiny opening bigger. “That’ll help the butterfly!” Within a few minutes, the butterfly easily pushed through the larger opening. Liza and Danielle jumped up and down to celebrate the birth of the butterfly. Hearing all their excitement, Liza’s parents rushed to her room.

Instead of smiles and laughter, they found the girls crying. Liza’s dad noticed the cocoon was empty. Beside it lay a butterfly with a swollen body and shriveled wings.

He knew what caused it and tried to explain it to the girls without crushing their spirits. “Girls, I’m afraid your butterfly is never going to fly. It needed to struggle out of the tiny opening in the cocoon to push the fluid out of its body and into its wings. I know you meant to help it by enlarging the hole in its cocoon, but that hurt it. Its wings will never be strong enough to fly.”

Growth Often Begins in Darkness

I know you meant to help it, but you hurt it. What devastating words.

Perhaps another illustration will make the words “struggle is necessary” more palpable.

A mighty oak of forty years offers shade for a young couple’s romantic picnic. Its strong limbs provide sure footing for adventurous boys and girls. While these scenes might look like a Norman Rockwell painting to the casual passerby, the struggles the oak has faced over the years make these activities and memories possible.

In God’s economy, growth often begins in darkness and in the painful process of breaking apart. It’s no different for the oak nut (acorn).

Falling from a mighty oak tree, envision a scrawny acorn bouncing to a grassy patch. A hungry squirrel sniffs it, but decides to pass on to a plumper meal.

Chasing a ball thrown by his owner, a dog steps on the acorn and buries it in the soft dirt. Within weeks, from its dark abode, the acorn breaks apart. A tiny sprout bursts forth and pushes through the dirt toward the light source.

The darkness. The breaking apart. The pushing forth. All necessary struggles for the seed to grow into a sapling.

Developed Its Strong Root System

Gale strength winds during the first few years of growth caused the young tree to lean to the left. What should have uprooted the young tree was averted as a multitude of heavy rains developed its strong root system. A season of drought left it hungry for nutrients. What should have killed it, actually made it stronger.

Cycles of these weather patterns impacted the oak year after year. Despite enduring the repeated struggles, the mighty oak prevailed.

Now forty years later, under the canopy of leaves, the young man gets down on his knee and proposes marriage to his love. Swinging from its strong branches, an adventurous child’s laugh can be heard in the summer breeze.

Struggle Is the Way

Both the fauna and flora of God’s creation must embrace struggle. Shouldn’t we do the same? The end result is hard earned, but so worth it.

If I may . . . I believe struggle is the way to strength.

Struggle is the way to internal growth.

Struggle is the way to beauty.

Leave a reply (below): Can you agree that struggle is necessary? Share what you believe struggle is the way to. And thanks for putting down the rocks.