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My wife Lauren and I moved last week from the Cincinnati suburb Colerain Township to Fairfield, Ohio, and, even though it's less than a 15-minute drive between the two places, it might as well be 5 hours once you start unpacking boxes. I can't seem to find anything I need when I need it.
For instance, at Bible study on Monday night, a friend asked if I was growing out my mustache with him. The truth? I just couldn't (and still can't) find my razor.
Today, I was going to throw on my Teva sandals and, even though they were in the coat closet next to the front door at the old house, I can't pin them down.
Do you feel like something is just off? Like life isn't just clicking like it should? Even though we live in an age of self-actualization where everyone feels the freedom to self-identify and be true to themselves, we are not any closer to any actual solutions. Depression, suicide, and anxiety are rising across the board and are not showing any signs of slowing down.
On some level, this is to be expected. We are just looking for answers in the wrong place.
Talking about saints of old, Hebrews 11:13 says: "...they...confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth." (CSB throughout) The Scriptures describe our current existence on Earth not as the end-game, but as a holding place towards a greater home. Hebrews 13:14 says it this way: "For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come."
While everyone else is trying to unpack their life and make their "forever home" here in this world, we would do better to start collecting cardboard boxes. We don't want deep roots here.
Why? Because we have something undeniably better to come at our next home. Jesus famously said, "In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:2-3) We're going to live in God's house, but we won't have to pay any rent. Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life," and nobody gets to live in the house except through Him. (14:6)
You may think the perfect landlord does not exist and, in this world, you would be very correct. However, there is no "landlord's special" in heaven. God does not paint over imperfections, take shortcuts, or buy cheap carpet. As he is perfect and loves us perfectly, he will provide so much more for us in the home to come than we could ever provide for ourselves here.
So, if we're looking forward to another home, we are not going to take too much stock in where we're living now.
This is going to make this current life difficult in many ways. You are going to face inconveniences, discomfort, and general frustration if you're doing it right because, when sin is involved, moving is the worst. You're going to feel tired and discontented. You're not going to be able to find your Tevas or your razor sometimes.
However, all of that is going to be worth it once we get to where we're going. When we meet God face-to-face one day and he says "Well done!", we are finally going to be able to breathe that sigh of relief, sit on the couch, and truly, finally relax in God.
Don't sell yourself short by making your life's goal any "comfort" or "wealth" that's just going to burn in the end. Enjoy it and use it to prepare for the better home that's coming. And, above all, believe that Jesus is the only one who can provide and complete it for us.