MY HIPPIE BUTTERFLY

Originally written several years ago – some content may be dated but the message is timeless.

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There are so many of us Christians that are just coasting through life.  God did not call us to “coast”.  He created us for a purpose and coasting is not one of them.  Hey, I totally understand that there are times we must coast!  I have, you have, everyone must at one time do the coasting thing.  However, after a bit, you need to pray and ask God … “Just what am I supposed to be doing in this world?”  He will guide you in spirit and in truth.  Seek Him and His will for your life and you will be MUCH happier, I guarantee that!  I am a prime example.  I struggled for years doing “my own thing” and it was just that a struggle.  When I finally gave my life, heart and will over to God for Him to do with me what He wanted, things began to take shape and my spirit was at rest and that peace that passes all understanding covered me.  I cannot explain it any other way.  My dad has a phrase he uses from time to time when asked how he is he says, “I have peace like a river.”  That, however, is another post of mine, but it speaks of that peace that is deep within.

Read on and I hope you enjoy it, I enjoyed writing it. 

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As I was about to enter the building at work one day, I looked down and saw this little orange and blue butterfly looking thing.  As I got a little closer, I noticed that it had one of those little round ball, snap chains attached to it.  I picked it up and the butterfly was made of a rubber like material.  It was so cute.  It just made me smile when I picked it up.  I turned it over and it said “be happy” in a fun style font.  The first thing I thought of after inspecting it pretty thoroughly was the “hippie era”.  It was a light-hearted little “something” and I liked it.  I took it upstairs with me to my desk.  I wiped off all the dirt and sat and looked at it for a few minutes with wondering eyes.  I wondered what it had been used for.  I could see that it had a slit in the top and bottom and a hole in the middle where the chain was.  It was a great little “thing” or “gadget” to look at but what on earth could it have been used for?   I guess I will never know its intended use except to have it stuck on a pin on my cubicle wall and smile when I look at it.  It’s brightly colored and it looks happy, so I smile when I look at it, but it is kind of sad to me too.  I am certain it was used for something very special, and it is not getting the use it was intended for, but… it does make me smile.  I am just kind of strange about little things like that.  I like to know the use for things.  Nonetheless, I will continue to smile when I look at it and be thankful for my happy little hippie butterfly on my wall.

Added 8-15-2023
(I don’t have a cubicle any longer, but I still have my Hippie Butterfly and I see it every day and smile, just like before.)

Are you like the little butterfly?  Or are you being used by God in a way He intended?  Are you just coasting through life or are you seeking God’s will in what you are doing?  So many years … so many years I wasted before I allowed God to pick me up from that dirty “parking lot” of my life and use me for His will.  You see, He has a plan for your life, and it is a special plan just for you.  It has you written all over it.  However, God is a gentleman.  He will not force anything on you if you don’t want to accept it willingly.  When He created man (and woman) He gave us “free will”.  And that free will gets us into trouble sometimes.  Not only does it get us in trouble sometimes, but it also causes complacency.  You know the times when you just want to stay just like you are and not change and grow.  The definition of complacency is this…Complacency – a feeling of being satisfied with how things are and not wanting to try to make them better.

God did not create us to sit on our backside and become complacent!  He created us to be His hands and His feet and His voice here on earth!  You say… “well, my life is pretty good right now.  Why would I want to change it?”  Well, mainly, because God calls us to a higher standard every day!  He wants us to always strive for the best.  In Philippians 3:14 Paul explains it like this… “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Click the scripture to read it in context)  In Revelation 3:16 God says this… “So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.”  I think I have said before “Never let it be said that I am complacent!”  I want to continue to grow every day in Jesus Christ!

Fellow believers – Christians, you were made for a purpose.  You were made in the image of God!  Ask God what direction He wants you to go with your life.  It just may surprise you!  And one thing I have learned, the marching orders He gave you today may be different for the next day so you have to check with Him daily to see where He wants you and how you can be used by Him today.   If you read 1 Chronicles 14:10 you will see that even King David checked with God on a direction to attack his enemies in battle.  If it is important for King David it is important for us as well.  And when you don’t know what to do, be like King Jehoshaphat.  About to be in a battle, he wasn’t sure what to do so he prayed this beautiful prayer in 2 Chronicles 20:12.  The part I love is the 2^nd part of verse 12.  “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”  Keep your eyes on the Lord as it says in Psalm 16:8 – “I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”… and He will never fail you!  Why?  Because He loves you!  You are His beloved (Click the link to see many verses about God’s love for us).  You are a chosen Child of God!

The Video – You Changed My Name – Matthew West