Becoming a New Creation In Christ

As a child growing up in small‑town Montana, I spent countless hours outdoors. Every spring, my siblings and I would find caterpillars and carefully keep a few so we could watch them form their chrysalis. If we were fortunate, we would witness the breathtaking moment when a butterfly emerged - transformed into something entirely new.

Butterflies have always captured my attention, not only because of their beauty, but because of the profound transformation they undergo. They begin life crawling along the ground, yet they end it flying freely. When it came time to choose a symbol for my ministry, I was drawn to the butterfly - not simply as an image of beauty, but as an image of transformation.

As I began to consider the butterfly’s life cycle more deeply, I recognized a powerful parallel to the Christian life: a journey of surrender, renewal, and spiritual metamorphosis. Over time, I also saw how this concept aligned with the vision I saw for this ministry - a vessel God can use as His people grow and transform. This article shares the ‘why’ behind the logo for Brenda Wheeler Ministries, and the heart behind my tagline, “Growing from where we are now to where we are going.”

The Mission Behind the Metaphor

The mission of my ministry is to encourage people to trust God, turn to Him in every season, and allow Him to renew their lives from the inside out. Transformation as a Christian is not about external behavior modification; it is about becoming a new creation through the grace and mercy of God, and relationship with Jesus Christ. The bulk of the work is done internally - and, over time, that inward change produces outward fruit that aligns with who we are becoming; and ultimately, who we are created to be.

The Egg: Birth and Beginning

A butterfly’s life begins as a fertilized egg laid on a leaf. Within just a few days, the egg hatches, and the larva - what we commonly call a caterpillar - emerges.1 Though tiny and vulnerable, it carries within it the blueprint for its entire future.

In a similar way, our own life begins at conception - a fertilized egg. Our spiritual journey also begins at this time because it is the moment God created our soul.2,3,4 Every one of us has a beginning – known by God and held by Him. Scripture reminds us that our lives are not accidental and our stories are not hidden.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

From the very start, God’s knowledge of us is personal. And even if we feel small or unprepared, He already sees what He intends to grow.

The Caterpillar: Life Focused on Appetite

The caterpillar’s primary occupation is eating. It crawls from leaf to leaf, consuming constantly and growing rapidly. As it grows, it sheds its skin multiple times in a process called molting. 1

Spiritually speaking, this stage can reflect life lived according to the desires of the flesh - when we are focused on consumption and what we desire for ourselves, rather than surrendering to what God desires for us. Scripture often uses imagery of devouring insects to describe spiritual destruction; and while this is metaphorical, it reminds us of how unchecked appetites and living according to our own plans can consume us when we live apart from God.

Eventually, the caterpillar reaches a point where it can no longer continue this way. Something must change.

And the same can be true for us. We may reach a point where we no longer want to live as we have been living. Yes, we can remain there – but we ought to heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit when He whispers that something must change.

The Pupa: Surrender and Hidden Transformation

When the caterpillar is ready, it attaches itself to a support, forms a “J” shape, and enters the pupal stage. Beneath its outer skin, a chrysalis is revealed. 1 It has set itself apart from where it had been and is preparing for where it is going.

From the outside, the chrysalis appears still - lifeless, even. Yet inside, something extraordinary is taking place. Much of the caterpillar’s former structure breaks down, and what remains becomes the foundation for something completely new. This is not a small improvement. It is a true metamorphosis – renewal that happens from the inside out.

This stage beautifully reflects the Christian life of surrender – letting go of our ego, personal agenda, and earthly desires… and desiring God. When God draws us into a season of stillness, it may look and feel like nothing is happening - but inwardly, deep transformation is underway. The blueprint of our God-given purpose is alive within us; yet God, having given us His grace, patiently waits for us to respond to His invitation to grow and be renewed. Old patterns, identities, and ways of thinking are dismantled so something new can be formed.

Paul is the ultimate mentor for us. As Saul of Tarsus, he was a militant Pharisee who persecuted followers of Jesus. He was present when the disciple Stephen was stoned to death; even receiving the cloaks of those who were part of Stephen’s stoning – representing that he consented to Stephen’s murder. Yet, Saul, transforming into a new creation through a powerful conversion, became the Apostle Paul. He shares his testimony in Galatians 1 in which he tells us that he had been set apart before he was born and had been called through God’s grace (Galatians 1:15) into a new creation. His old patterns, identity, and ways of thinking had been dismantled when he surrendered, so he could be renewed.

And then – when the hidden work has done what it needed to do – God brings what was forming in secret into the light.

The Butterfly: Renewed and Free

When the time comes, the butterfly must struggle to emerge from the chrysalis. 1 This struggle is a necessary part of its life - it strengthens the wings so the butterfly can fly. Once free, it no longer crawls - it soars.

When the time comes, we may also struggle to emerge from our own “chrysalis”, where our transformation has been taking place. Turning away from the old self is not always easy. Romans 7:13–25 provides a glimpse into this struggle, helping us to understand this inner conflict - the struggle between flesh and spirit.

But scripture also tells us:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

An Invitation to Renewal

Like the butterfly, we are not meant to remain where we began.

The Apostle Paul tells us:

“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God…” (Romans 12:2)

Throughout Scripture, we find God inviting us into a continual process of renewal. It is within this renewal that we grow. The more we grow, the more we desire to be aligned with God. This matters because we truly are growing from where we are now to where we are going - and the direction of that growth is shaped by Who we surrender to. Though, in the beginning, our surrender may feel like loss, it is truly a holy exchange where we become free to soar.

The Greek word used for “transformed” in Romans 12:2 is metamorphoō – the same word used to describe the physical transformation of Jesus at the Transfiguration. Our transformation in Christ is real, ongoing, and Spirit‑led.

Transformation begins with desire. It takes time. It requires trust. And it leads to new life.

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Closing Prayer

Dear God,
Thank You for being a God who is not finished with us.
Thank You that You meet us exactly where we are,
yet You love us too much to leave us there.

For those who feel small, unseen, or unfinished,
remind them that You see the whole design.
For those who are weary in the hidden places,
give them the courage to trust the process.

Help us surrender what must fall away,
so You can form what is new.
Renew our minds.
Restore our hearts.
Transform us from the inside out.

We choose to trust You—
from where we are
to where You are leading us.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

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Reflection Questions (for Devotional Use):

I encourage you to record your answers in a private journal. This will allow you to track your growth as you walk through your transformation.

1. Which stage of the transformation do you most identify with right now: beginning, growing, surrendering, or emerging?

2. If you are in the beginning stage, is there something God has been inviting you to release so that renewal can begin?

3. How does understanding spiritual transformation as ongoing change your expectations of yourself?

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Works Sited:

1. “Butterfly Metamorphosis | American Museum of Natural History.” American Museum of Natural History, www.amnh.org/exhibitions/butterflies/metamorphosis. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.

2. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20139%3A13-16&version=RSVCE . Accessed 19 April 2026.

3. https://billygraham.org/answers/does-god-give-us-a-soul-when-we-are-born-or-at-some-later-time. Accessed 19 April 2026

4. https://usccb.cld.bz/Catechism-of-the-Catholic-Church2/112/#zoom=truev on 4/19/2026

All quotes from the Bible are from: Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition. Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/versions/Revised-Standard-Version-Catholic-Edition-RSVCE-Bible/. Accessed 18-19 April 2026.