Life… Away from Home

Mrs. Annie Thomas

Being a believer is always tough, but when you are away from your family for studies, it becomes all the more difficult to stand for Christ.

Particularly, for those who leave home straight for school, freedom is like a rose, ready to pluck. However as we reach out to grab it, we will feel the thorns, some just irritating others furrowing deeply and leaving sears long and painful.

1) Studies: If you’re an average student, studies will lose whatever little charm they had, compared to the ever green pastures elsewhere like the Pub, the movie the fast food joints etc. It takes divine discipline to make sure you do your best for the Lord in your studies. Our education is God’s training for His work He has in mind for us. The harder we work at it, the greater the fruits we will reap.

2) Money: The pay packet which is supposed to last you a month dwindles in the first week. And the fastest way to break good friendship is to borrow. Remember that your parents are sacrificing their savings to give you the best education possible. Respect their love and love them back by spending your money wisely. The way you spend your parent’s money could also be the way your children will spend your hard-earned money.

3)Temptations- overcoming temptations become ten times more difficult because you are living with people who thrive on things we, as believers, are not permitted to do. You need a whole lot of Divine grace to say “No” to a cigarette puff when you are sitting in a smoke filled room and everybody else (gals and guys) around you are puffing away. If you have got a weakness in a particular area, the devil will go all the way, to make you his slave while you are away from your security of a Christian home. The best advice would be to avoid Godless companions and try to associate with (born-again) believers. The more you spend time with them, the more you will begin to emulate Christ’s character.

4) Opposite Gender: Many young people try to compensate for lack of family love by getting into relationships with the opposite sex. Many others, join with the crowd because it’s the easy way. But these relationships not approved by God, will lead you away from the straight and narrow path to the broad road to disaster and destruction. All the morals and scruples will be lost when you’re living it up with the girl/boy of your dreams. Instead spend your leisure time with believers of the same gender doing the things you enjoy, but are not sinful.

Convert your youthful energy into activities and habits that will please the Lord. Recognize God’s choice of life partner  revealed at the right time and in the right way.
Living away from home can either make you a better person, or can break you and leave you bitter and dissatisfied. It depends on your attitude and your reaction to the situations you find yourself in.