I feel pretty confident that almost anyone reading my blog can fill in that sentence I began in my title. Well, maybe it is just an American expression. So, for all you out there that don’t know, the saying goes like this: Home is where the heart is.
Lately I have been thinking a lot about that phrase. I find it immensely encouraging that it doesn’t say: Home is where you are comfortable or Home is where your family is or something else. “Home” is any place that God takes you and you CHOOSE to put your heart. I say choose, because a person can be miserable anywhere they are- even in the most ideal, cushy situation that others would love to have. It is like the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is dependent upon what is surrounding you or what is happening. Joy is a choice of the heart to be content and cheerful no matter what is going on around you. Being at “home” somewhere isn’t dependent upon the circumstances, but rather upon the state of your heart.
I find it funny how this has played out in my life as of late. I look around and many times I despise where I live, the sin that abounds around me in the people and their choices, the weather, the difficulties, and the list could go on and on. But somehow, at the end of each and every day, I feel at home here. God has called me here, and this is where I have peace. Looking back on my life in America… The power didn’t cut off 3-4 times a day. I didn’t walk down the street and have everyone stare at me and say obscene things to me (actually I didn’t walk down the street at all usually). My water stayed running pretty much the entire year. I didn’t have to build a fire in a wood stove when the weather outside was below zero. I didn’t cook everything from scratch. I could speak the same language as pretty much everyone I encountered throughout the day. My family, friends, church, and other areas of support were a call or a short drive in the car away. I didn’t wear the same clothes day after day, month after month…Yet I was miserable! I didn’t belong there. For whatever reason, God made my heart restless and discontent. And so, here I am- halfway around the world. In a very uncomfortable country, doing very uncomfortable things, and feeling, well, very uncomfortable. And I am at home!
Now, that isn’t to say I always love it here or I am always happy. The honest truth is that I have sat down at this very computer, in this very spot on my couch, and wanted to write terrible things about this country, my work here, my team, or whatever was rubbing me the wrong way on that day, and put it on my blog. I felt miserable, and I wanted everyone to empathize with me. Thankfully God stopped me and walked me through whatever I needed to be walked through on that particular day. But even in those moments, I feel a small, quiet voice in my heart (it is often hard to hear as I am raging about different things). It gently says: “Hey, if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you want to be?” (I ALWAYS get the same question- you’d think I’d learn!) And each time, I stop, quiet my heart, and answer: “Right here. This is where You’ve called me. This is where You’ve led me. This is where I have peace. And anywhere else I’d go right now would be out of Your will, and I would be utterly miserable.” It isn’t always glamorous. It isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always fun…but it is life. My life. My precious gift from my Creator, and how I long to honor Him with all of it.
“Wherever you are- be all there.”
-Jim Elliot
Lately I have been thinking a lot about that phrase. I find it immensely encouraging that it doesn’t say: Home is where you are comfortable or Home is where your family is or something else. “Home” is any place that God takes you and you CHOOSE to put your heart. I say choose, because a person can be miserable anywhere they are- even in the most ideal, cushy situation that others would love to have. It is like the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is dependent upon what is surrounding you or what is happening. Joy is a choice of the heart to be content and cheerful no matter what is going on around you. Being at “home” somewhere isn’t dependent upon the circumstances, but rather upon the state of your heart.
I find it funny how this has played out in my life as of late. I look around and many times I despise where I live, the sin that abounds around me in the people and their choices, the weather, the difficulties, and the list could go on and on. But somehow, at the end of each and every day, I feel at home here. God has called me here, and this is where I have peace. Looking back on my life in America… The power didn’t cut off 3-4 times a day. I didn’t walk down the street and have everyone stare at me and say obscene things to me (actually I didn’t walk down the street at all usually). My water stayed running pretty much the entire year. I didn’t have to build a fire in a wood stove when the weather outside was below zero. I didn’t cook everything from scratch. I could speak the same language as pretty much everyone I encountered throughout the day. My family, friends, church, and other areas of support were a call or a short drive in the car away. I didn’t wear the same clothes day after day, month after month…Yet I was miserable! I didn’t belong there. For whatever reason, God made my heart restless and discontent. And so, here I am- halfway around the world. In a very uncomfortable country, doing very uncomfortable things, and feeling, well, very uncomfortable. And I am at home!
Now, that isn’t to say I always love it here or I am always happy. The honest truth is that I have sat down at this very computer, in this very spot on my couch, and wanted to write terrible things about this country, my work here, my team, or whatever was rubbing me the wrong way on that day, and put it on my blog. I felt miserable, and I wanted everyone to empathize with me. Thankfully God stopped me and walked me through whatever I needed to be walked through on that particular day. But even in those moments, I feel a small, quiet voice in my heart (it is often hard to hear as I am raging about different things). It gently says: “Hey, if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you want to be?” (I ALWAYS get the same question- you’d think I’d learn!) And each time, I stop, quiet my heart, and answer: “Right here. This is where You’ve called me. This is where You’ve led me. This is where I have peace. And anywhere else I’d go right now would be out of Your will, and I would be utterly miserable.” It isn’t always glamorous. It isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always fun…but it is life. My life. My precious gift from my Creator, and how I long to honor Him with all of it.
“Wherever you are- be all there.”
-Jim Elliot
Maybe this quote can be encouraging to you...wherever you are today, doing whatever He's called you to do. May He give you the grace to indeed put your heart where your home is!
2 comments:
Am missing you! Hope all is well. Enjoyed this blog about home except home for us as believers isn't on this earth...as you know, home is that place that we call heaven. But, because you are in Kosovo, maybe,,,prayerfully our true hoe will be filled with people from you new country! Love you! Susan
This is true- how I long for that Place each day!!! And that is my hope and prayer- thanks, Susan!
Post a Comment