Sometimes the analogy of the caterpillar turned butterfly is over-used. But we can’t help it because it’s a powerful image of the metamorphosis we undergo in our relational development toward God.
Our caterpillar state is one of restriction. We are bound by realities of time and space that restrain us to a very small here and now. We can easily be rushing everywhere while actually never moving anywhere. Through the continual process of awareness of God--adjustment here, change there, deepening more, reshaping and readjusting, dying to self and becoming more awakened to God--the metamorphosis evolves to deeper glory and radiance. The day is coming when we’ll be translated from this world and break out of the cocoon of physical bondage to the glorious, final completion of transformation in Christlikeness! 1 John 3:2 paints the picture: "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is."