Homesick

I've been realizing something the past couple of days as I'm away from home at college. Homesickness is pretty common around freshman, as it is the first time we're really away from home for so long. For me personally, I was pretty homesick the first few days, as everything was so new and overwelming; it's hard to take in that much new stuff all at once, away from the security of all of the things you know. I've been reminded of how truly blessed I am with my friends back home, for they truly are the "friends that stick closer than a brother" (proverbs 18:24). It's also the same for my family, because though my parents are my parents, I consider them some of my best friends. It's so easy to take that for granted, and when we're put into a situation that forces us out of our comfort zone, we realize the security we have so completely lost in the absence of our friends and family. You find yourself longing for home, longing for the familiar, longing for the security it provides. You become resistant to the change that is vital to your growth.

But over the past couple of weeks, God has been more than faithful in comforting those feelings. His word became living and breathing, with me finding so much comfort yet conviction in Psalms 15-27. Scriptures such as Psalm 25:1-3: "To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul, in You I trust, O My God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame." Everytime I find myself homesick or resistant to change, I pray the word, and it's amazing the peace that God brings. When we lift up our hearts and soul to Him and say, "I am not enough, I'm too feeble to do this on my own. I lift myself up to You so You can carry me and give me the comfort only You can give," He rewards us and answers that prayer in a powerful way. It brings us to the point of brokenness and humility knowing that apart from the Father, we can do nothing.

There's a strong parallelism to this though. This world is not our real home. One day we will return to our Father in Heaven, which is where our heart and soul should be drawn to. Too often it's easy to remain comfortable in this world and therefore, numb ourselves in a sense, to being convicted by God. We're homesick for our earthly home, when instead, we should be homesick for our Heavenly home. I think a good verse to follow is Romans 12:2: "Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing, and perfect will."

After all, shouldn't that be a driving point in our lives? Because when we walk in HIs paths, all things will fall into place. We are not of this world, we are sons and daughters of the King. And oh, what an amazing thing to be! Shouldn't we long more for our Father and our Heavenly home than for this world?