At Home Away

We’d been away from home for three weeks.

Away from the comfort of the bed we fall into each night.

Away from the kitchen table worn smooth by a decade’s worth of daily meals.

Away from “the spot” in front of the fireplace where the carpet is matted from many days curled up in front of it.

We’d been away from home for three weeks. 

Away from the comfort of the bed we fall into each night.

Away from the kitchen table worn smooth by a decade’s worth of daily meals.

Away from “the spot” in front of the fireplace where the carpet is matted from many days curled up in front of it. 

At the end of our travels, my grown daughter noted the length of time and asked if it had been hard to be away from home for so long. It only took a second for me to answer:

“It’s easy to be away from home when you’re with the person you’re most ‘at home’ with.” 

It was true: my husband and I had been traveling together for the entirety of those weeks. Though we’d bounced from one location to another over the course of that time, sleeping in six different beds, I never felt displaced from my life because he’d been with me. I hadn’t really given much thought to it before she’d asked. My answer was instinctive, I suppose. 

But right after those words tumbled out of my mouth, I realized there was a spiritual truth in them. . .truth I have yet to fully grasp. 

This is exactly how I can feel with God. 

Yet I don’t always recognize the companionship He offers me. . .

. . .when I’m traveling for work and sit alone in the restaurant

. . .when I’m in a roomful of people I don’t know and feel out of place

. . .when I wonder whether the contribution I make to the groups I’m part of would be missed

Maybe I prefer the physical presence of a familiar human over that of our invisible God? Maybe being known and included by people matters more to me than being accepted by Him? Maybe I value the opinions and esteem of those I can audibly hear over His still, small voice? 

I don’t want to. I don’t mean to. But maybe I do?

God designed us to enjoy the fellowship of other people; it’s not wrong to crave meaningful friendships or even to desire marriage. Yet we won’t all have a spouse. Friendships change over time, distance, and new seasons in life. Even the local church bodies we’re part of are an ever-changing organism that grows and contracts, adding new faces and losing others all the time and we can sometimes feel we’ve lost our place in it.  

In this hurried, digital age, we are likely to continue to feel the pangs of discomfort or insecurity in social settings. Our lives will certainly hold seasons of loneliness and unmet desires in our relationships (perhaps unmet desires for relationships, as well). We’ll crave the familiarity of feeling at home with people we love. 

Let’s allow these moments of being “away” from home to point us back to God—our constant, all-sufficient, loving companion. He is our “dwelling place” (Psalm 90:1) so even when we are displaced—physically or figuratively—we can feel at home with Him.

–Written by Kirsten Holmberg. Used by permission from the author.

15 Responses

  1. Kirsten, thank you for these words and needed reminder. — "Let’s allow these moments of being “away” from home to point us back to God—our constant, all-sufficient, loving companion."

    eryn eddy adkins

  2. This is a keeper, I loved it. And someday too soon I’ll share it with Maddie. God is our constant companion.

  3. Lord, I want you first in my life because you saved me. You know me all too well. Thank you for understanding my weaknesses and strengths. I call on the Holy Spirit to guide me on this Journey of life. I am so grateful for the trials and tests. I have learned that you have a purpose and the plan. I try earnestly to be obedient and seek your face and know your will. My desire is to rest in you my Lord. I want the "Peace that passeth all understanding". I want to be a Peace maker in this world. I can only pursue this gift through going deeper into who you are in my personal relationship with you, "Mighty God, my Rock, and my Redeemer". Thank you for this truth today and the reminder to "point me back to God our dwelling place" forever In Jesus’ Name Amen

  4. I recently drove to Columbus, Ohio from Lumberton, NC. because my uncle was in great need of family support!
    It took me eight hours and thirty minutes to get there. Being female I could have been fearful to make this trip alone but I WAS NOT ALONE!! The LORD reminded me HE WAS WITH ME!!! You stated, HE IS OUR CONSTANT, ALL~SUFFICIENT, LOVING COMPANION! Yes HE is!!!
    I am GRATEFUL for HIS FAITHFULNESS🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾!!! Thank you for sharing this TRUTH!!

  5. Oh that was so encouraging! I really needed to hear that. Thank you for being God’s still small voice reassuring me, reminding me that He is truly always there.

    1. Thank you so much for pointing out that our feelings aren’t always the best indicators of truth. He is always with us–even if we don’t feel it.

  6. I wasn’t sure where this was going at first, it ended up in a marvelous place, God is our everything and learning to embrace Him in all areas of our lives is essential, Thank You for the reading.😊

    1. You’re so welcome, Catherine. Thanks for reading along (and going with me for long enough to see where it ended)!

  7. I don’t always feel the companionship God offers me; and He offers it every minute of every single day. Thank you for this beautiful reminder.

    1. Oh, Jennifer. I’m right there with you: I don’t always feel it either but you’re right to point out that He offers His presence always. 🤗

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