Lessons From a Dragonfly

One day a few years ago, I sat in the car, waiting for my family to come out of an appointment. While I waited, a dragonfly appeared out of nowhere.

One moment it hovered over the car window directly in front of me, and then it disappeared! I tried to see where it had gone but got lost in tracing its flight path.

As I sat in the silence, looking around, I heard God whisper, “You are like the dragonfly.” What a compliment! I mean, who would turn down those large bulging eyes and awkward wings? How flattering! I watched the dragonfly dart back and forth, disappear, then reappear, only to disappear again. “God,” I asked, “why is the dragonfly’s path so unpredictable?” His response was simple. “To protect her.” At that moment, I thought about my own life’s journey. I saw a mess of successes and failures, stops and starts, progressions and setbacks—moments to tout proudly and other times to tuck away quietly, praying and hoping nobody would discover them. Yet in all my darting and dashing, I also saw consistency in seeing God’s hand, trusting God’s plan, and obeying God’s directives—no matter how confusing to the onlooker.

Then I understood. God was protecting me all along! What do you see when you look at your path? Are you holding on to the moments of pride but ashamed of the times you tripped and everyone saw? Are you hiding because you fear more moments like that and cannot bear to watch one more person scoff? If yes, you are not alone, but let us learn from the dragonfly. Let us trust the path. I assure you; your path is certain.

Not too long ago, scientists discovered that dragonflies travel thousands of miles across the ocean. Picture that—an insect that never seems to fly in a straight line making its way across an ocean! So what’s the lesson? Never discount your journey—the hills and valleys, highs and lows. Trust the Creator. He knows your path better than you ever will, and I assure you, He will get you to your final destination, safe and sound.

LaKeisha Williams