Lost  Season 1, Episode 7 

Lost was one of those really popular, addictive television series that people always talked about. The series is about a group of people who survive when their flight from Australia to Los Angeles is cut short in a terrible crash on a seemingly deserted island.

However, after only a short while on the island, they realize they are in fact, not alone on it. And the more time they spend there, the more questions about the island arise. The series is weird and puzzling, but addictive and filled with amazing story and character development.

One particular moment in the series features a conversation between two of the main characters – Charlie and Locke. Charlie is a heroine addict who is trying to quit, and Locke is holding Charlie’s stash for him, helping him to sober up.

In this scene, it’s been a few days, and Charlie is really craving his next fix. He asks Locke to give him the drugs back, saying that he can’t take the pain he’s enduring.

Rather than respond directly, Locke points out a nearby cocoon on a tree to Charlie. He says something rather poignant:

“You see this little hole? This moth’s just about to emerge. It’s in there right now, struggling. It’s digging its way through the thick hide of the cocoon. Now, I could help it. Take my knife, gently widen the opening, and the moth would be free. But it would be too weak to survive. The struggle is nature’s way of strengthening it. Now, this is the second time you’ve asked me for your drugs back. Ask me again and it’s yours.”

In this scene, Locke makes an interesting argument. He points to the moth and tells Charlie that, “the struggle is nature’s way of strengthening it.” It sounds a lot like the phrase I heard growing up that said “What doesn’t kill you just makes you stronger” (Yeah, before the Kelly Clarkson song).

A lot of times we tend to roll our eyes at sayings like this, because it’s so hard to look at our difficult situations and think that we can get something good from them. But according to Locke, we can.

Let’s discuss this whole idea about strengthening through struggles:

1. What’s the easiest task you accomplished this week?
2. What was the hardest thing you experienced this week?
3. When people normally have troubled times, how do they normally react or respond?
4. In the scene discussed, Locke says, “struggle is nature’s way of strengthening” the moth. What do you think he means by this?
5. Do you agree with him? Why or why not?
6. What are some of the struggles and difficulties that you see other people your age going through?
7. What do you think it would be like if God were to rescue us every single time we ran into trouble?

1. Locke used a moth cocoon as an illustration to talk to Charlie about the necessity of struggles in life. The Bible preaches a similar message…

1. Read the following passage: Romans 5:3, 4

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.”

1. According to the above passage, problems and trials are good for us. Why?
2. It says problems and trials “help us learn to endure.” What do you think that means?
3. Paul tells us in this passage that if we run into problems and trials, we won’t just learn to endure, we’ll actually get more out of going through these times. Read verse four again. What all does it say happens when we go through our problems and times of trial?
4. What is your first reaction to the idea of having to rejoice when we run into problems and trials?
5. When Paul says that we should rejoice when we go through difficult times, what does that look like? How do we do it?

Think of one trial or difficulty in your life right now. It could be something huge and extremely trying, or it could be small and maybe less of a big deal. Take some time to thank God for allowing you to go through these things. Your prayer can be as simple as saying “God, thanks for allowing me to struggle through math. I know you’re teaching me. Amen.” Being real and honest is what matters here – nothing fancy.