“By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion… How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?”
— Psalm 137:1, 4 (NIV)
The Ambush of Memory
It can hit you at any time, like a sudden wave.
It might be the smell of a spice that reminds you of your mother’s cooking, or the sight of an elderly couple walking hand-in-hand. In an instant, you are ambushed by memory, and a deep, physical ache settles in your chest.
It’s homesickness. And it is one of the most profound pains of the diaspora journey.
Too often, we feel guilty for this feeling. We think it shows a lack of faith or gratitude. We try to suppress the sadness, to put on a brave face. But the Bible shows us a different way. It gives us the holy gift of lament.
Permission to Weep
Read today’s scripture. The Israelites are exiles in Babylon. They are exactly where God allowed them to be, yet they are grieving. They sit down. They weep. They remember.
This is a permission slip from God to be honest. Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is admit that we don’t have a song to sing today.
That ache of homesickness is not a sign of spiritual failure. It is the sacred evidence of love. The reason it hurts so much is because you loved, and still love, the people and places you left behind. That love is a good gift from God. The pain you feel now is simply the shadow cast by that beautiful gift.
Turning Pain into Prayer
Instead of fighting the feeling, turn it into an offering. Tell God exactly what you miss. Name the people. Describe the tastes. Pouring out your heart to Him is an act of profound trust, believing He is a loving Father who cares enough to hold your heart, even as it breaks.
🛡️ The Diaspora Challenge
Action steps for your journey today.
- Name the Loss: What, specifically, do you miss most right now? Don’t spiritualize it. Is it a person’s laugh? The weather? The food?
- Write a “Psalm of Lament”: In your journal, start a list with the words, “God, today I remember…”
- The Pivot: End your list with a single line of trust: “But I know You are here.”
🙏 A Prayer for the Homesick
God, today my heart hurts. I confess that I try to be strong and pretend I’m okay, but the truth is, I’m homesick. It’s hard to feel grateful when this sadness is so strong. Thank You for not being scared of my tears, and for giving me people and places to love so deeply. Please hold my heart in this ache, and meet me here, in the land of my exile. Amen.
This is Day 5 of The Diaspora Devotional by Andrew Airahuobhor. [Get the full 30-Day Collection Here]