Lessons from the Dragonfly

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you see the same thing over and over again?

Over the past month I have been seeing dragon flies everywhere! What’s more, they seem to flying straight at me, finding me even indoors.

This started a month ago when I walked into my Pastors home having come home from the USA and Nigeria. As I walked into their house a dragon fly flew in from outside and landed right on my head! “Oh wow”, said my friend who’s husband Pastors our church, “Look at that dragon fly, they symbolise transition.”

I’d never heard of this before, but I tucked the “dragonfly = transition” gold nugget into my pocket and continued on with my week.

Then yesterday as I was painting our old / new home (we are moving back into our original home that we bought when we first got married and I’m renovating it before we move in), a dragon fly flew inside and followed me around!

While I’m not a superstitious person, and I don’t think that everything is “a sign”, when something happens repeatedly I seem to think there may be something I need to pay attention to and potentially something to learn!

And so I have done some research on the dragonfly and I have found some very interesting facts out.

1. Dragonflies shed their skin 17 times across their life, providing them the opportunity to keep growing, changing and maturing.

2. Dragonflies spend around three quarters (3/4) of their life as an immature nymph in the water. They only fly for around 3 months of their 12 month life. They are literally hidden from most people for most of their life.

3. Dragonflies can fly far and fast and in any direction! They fly up to 72 kilometres an hour (45 mph). They are fast, agile, strong and adaptable.

So, what lessons can we learn from the dragonfly!?

1. Change isn’t always bad! A dragonfly can not grow unless it sheds off the old and takes on the new. Throughout the Bible we see God calling people to greater maturity. For example Peter speaks of moving from spiritual milk to meat and says in 1 Peter 2:2 that we should “grow up” in our salvation. Are you in a state of change? This could be your opportunity for spiritual growth? Embrace it and learn all you can!

2. Hidden time is not wasted time and it does not necessarily mean one will be hidden forever, in fact the hiding is essential for the revealing. Matthew 5:16 says we should let our light shine that people may glorify God, but sometimes we feel so hidden. That’s not a bad thing, and it’s a natural thing. Don’t take your hidden season to mean you will never shine. You’re just preparing to shine! Think of Daniel, Joseph, even Peter while he was fishing, and Jesus while He was in the wilderness. These were hidden times but they were crucial times of preparation for when the moment of shining comes.

3. Once your flying, live life to the full and fly far and fast! Maybe you’re in a season of going not waiting, embrace it! Your life is short and you need to respond to your season appropriately. Imagine if a dragonfly spent its last 3 months of its life sitting thinking it was still a nymph? Throw off that nymph mentality and fly when it’s your time! Trust that you’ve been prepared for such a time as this! “See I am doing a new thing!” (Isaiah 43:19)

What has God been teaching you lately and through which aspect of His creation has He been doing so? I’d love to hear in the comments below.

Trust Jesus, He’s got you!

– Andrew