Nothing is Ever Wasted

Nothing is ever wasted.

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No pain is ever for nothing.

If you’re going through something — a hard time, a trial, a struggle, a loss — it’s never in vain.

What you’re going through matters.

Maybe you’re fighting through your recovery and every day is harder than the one before. Maybe you’re on the verge of relapsing. Maybe you’re going through a divorce, or are the child of parents who are in the process of separating. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one, or your best friend betrayed you. Maybe you’ve been battling depression, or alcoholism, or substance abuse, or another type of addiction. Maybe you’re being bullied at school. Maybe you’re just worn down to the soul, exhausted from trying to keep a certain “image” up in the air.

Whatever it is, your pain is real. And it is not in vain.

There is something that you are supposed to learn from what you’re going through. Something that you cannot learn any other way.

And reading that, in the midst of the storm, it may make you want to curse or throw something — What the hell am I supposed to learn from going through this? Are you kidding me?

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What you are enduring is changing you. It is making you grow. It is equipping you for something that you will do later in life. Something that you cannot even fathom at this point and time. But it is.

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And even though you may feel alone, you’re not. Because whether you believe it or not, you are being given the strength and the grace to get through this. One day at a time.

God is going through it with you. By your side.

That’s really hard to believe. And if we’re really honest, we probably feel pretty abandoned in actuality. After all, He’s supposed to love me, so why the hell would He put me through this?

The truth of the matter is that He’s not putting you through anything. He’s enduring it with you. Because He loves you. He loves you enough to allow you to go through something that will be good for you in the end.

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Hollow words, I know. Believe me, I know. I’ve been there.

I want to share a story with you. And I know, it may seem like a cliche topic, but I think you know by now that I’m not here to bullshit anyone, and I’m definitely not here to waste your time.

It’s the story of an Emperor Moth.

They go through the same cocoon process as a butterfly, except these moths stay in their cocoon for anywhere from 1-5 years. And their cocoon is different than a butterfly’s. When it’s time to emerge, they have to squeeze their body and their wings through a tiny opening at the base of the cocoon.

The story is this: a little boy was watching an emperor moth struggling to get out of its cocoon. He wanted to help, so he cut the tiny opening of the cocoon larger. The moth emerged easily, but his wings were dwarfed and too small for his enlarged body. He failed to thrive and died two days later.

You see, in order to survive, the moth has to struggle to emerge through that tiny opening in the cocoon. Because in wrestling his way through, his wings are growing and getting stronger — strong enough to support his body. And in squeezing through that tiny opening, the extra fluid from his abdomen gets pushed to the wings, and his body becomes the proper size, in proportion for his wings.

He needed the struggle to become whole and complete. 

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If God were to clip your cocoon and spare you the struggle, He’d actually be doing more harm than good. For this struggle is making you stronger — making you able to thrive.

One day down the road, the clouds will have lifted, and you’ll see your story has come full circle. And you will understand why you’re suffering and struggling right now.

The pain will end.

Things will get better.

If you’re looking Up, and wondering where God is in the midst of your pain, look to your side, because He’s right there next to you, encouraging you as you strengthen your wings.

Goodnight loves.

xx

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26 responses to “Nothing is Ever Wasted”

  4. Such a true and beautiful writing. It gives you pause for thought. It came right on time for me because I’m going through a little difficulty myself right now and I know what you’re saying is the truth. Thanks for the insight.

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  5. I really like your first line of this post, it really struck me – no pain is ever for nothing. It gives us readers so much hope for the future, that what we are suffering now is for a reason. Thank you so much for writing this! XO

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  7. […] Nothing is Ever Wasted – I absolutely love this blogger. She has a deep relationship with Jesus, and that SHINES in the way she talks about eating disorder recovery.  In this post she reminded me that even my struggles with body image and food were not wasted.  God is and has been making something beautiful for the past 6 or 7 years that I have struggled, and everyday, I am amazed that He heals and makes all things new.   […]

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  14. Thank you for this beautiful story 🙂 In its simplicity I can see truth. It encourages me to press on and not abandon my faith in God altogether.

    Reply

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