Spiritual Nostalgia

The author of the book The Future of Nostalgia, Svetlana Boym, describes nostalgia as a sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. 

I was at a coffee shop when I heard an interesting scientific finding. According to studies done on different people, nostalgia is being recognized as one of the many human strengths. Though the usual cause for nostalgia is loneliness it results in a happier mental state. It provides a person with a feeling of being loved and cared for. So then it is recognized as strength because one can change the state of mind he/she is in by simply remembering times of past happiness. 

We all know in our spiritual walks with God there are those 'in-explainable silences', times when we feel God hears but does not reply. Those times when we miss His voice but we, for some reason, can't seem to hear it! Those times are designed for us to grow in our faith. However, we become pron to the feeling of being forsaken and forgotten. King David had trick around this mental/spiritual state, he knew spiritual nostalgia was necessary. He knew to remind his soul of His creator. He knew to remind his soul to be content and have full joy because of God's goodness. He knew to change his focus. He knew to focus on his Maker's character more than his temporary setback.

"1 Praise the Lord, my soul;

    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

 

2 Praise the Lord, my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits—

 

3 who forgives all your sins

    and heals all your diseases,

 

4 who redeems your life from the pit

    and crowns you with love and compassion,

 

5 who satisfies your desires with good things

    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord works righteousness

    and justice for all the oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,

    his deeds to the people of Israel:

 

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious," Psalms 103:1-8

You see, like David, we will need to remind our souls of who our Savior is. We need to remind our souls of our testimonies. We need to tell our souls that the same God who came through the last time will come through this time too!

Stay Blessed<3