Breaking Through the Shell

When we think of new life, one of the simplest yet most powerful images God has given us is that of a chick breaking through its shell. From the outside, the shell looks solid, unbreakable. But on the inside, something is stirring. Life is forming. Change is taking place. And at just the right moment, that little bird pushes from within, and a new chapter begins.

If an egg is broken by an external force, life ends. But if it breaks by an internal force, life begins. The difference is not in the shell—it’s in where the power comes from.

In life, we face all kinds of pressures. Some come from the outside: criticism, setbacks, hardships, disappointments. These can feel heavy, even crushing. But there are also pressures that come from within: a dream that God places in your heart, a stirring of the Holy Spirit, a conviction that it’s time for change.

And here is the truth—the difference between being destroyed and being transformed often depends on where the pressure is coming from.

St. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:16: “Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” The world pushes on us from the outside, trying to press us into its mold, to make us conform. But God works from the inside out. He plants His Spirit within us. He transforms our hearts, our minds, our desires—so that real change begins where it matters most, deep within our soul.

That’s why the shell of your life may feel tight at times. You may feel the pressure building inside—an unease, a restlessness, a longing for something more. Don’t be afraid of that stirring. Don’t mistake it for destruction. It may just be God preparing you for new life. The pressure you feel inside may be the Spirit of God saying, “It’s time to grow. It’s time to break through. It’s time for a new beginning.”

And when His work is complete, the shell will break—not because of the weight of this world, but because of the life of God within us. And in that moment, a whole new future begins.