Separation Anxiety

I had a dog one time that was a bit on the insecure side. Because of this he became obsessed with a need to be with me all of the time. As much as I tried to impress on him that I was only going to be gone for a short while and that I would soon be back; being a dog, he didn't understand a word I said. He only new that one minute I was there and the next minute I wasn't. They call it separation anxiety. When left alone, or even when with another dog, he would become anxious to the point of frenzy. With his mind in a panic of my absence he would dig at the door or find anything of a size to pull away and chew into pieces. Most of the time it was a magazine, a paper product of some sort, or one of his toys.  Even when confined to a dog kennel, he would gnaw on the chain link and often push against the bar of the door to bend it open enough to squeeze out. Then he would sit at the door waiting for me to come back.

From what I understand, toddlers at a certain age will also go through a separation anxiety when they lose sight of their mother. Although I have never had children, I have witnessed the screaming terror of a child realizing that his mother is no longer in the room. For the most part, children will grow out of this and eventually get to an age when they actually prefer that their mother not to be around at all. But dogs emotionally remain at the age of a human toddler. They make drugs now to help reduce the stress of separation anxiety in dogs, but at the cost of semi-sedation.

Sometimes I feel like I have separation anxiety when it comes to God. I know He loves me and I have experienced a true relationship with Him in many deep, but spiritual ways. His physical absence in my life at times becomes a frustration. I also know that He has promised that He will come back and we will be forever together. But, I still sit and look out my life's front window and can't help but feel the anxiety of anticipation for the physical reality of His presence. I've always heard things like "God is in control", and "it is all in God's timing". God knows that in the big picture of things it won't be long, and there will come a time when there will never be any separation. When my dog frets over my not being there I don't find out till I see him again how he chose to handle his anxiety. But God in his power and position can see me in my times of life and knows of my separation anxiety. I'm sure He really doesn't want me chewing things up or sitting and staring at the door; or in this case of cosmic eternity,the ceiling. He knew that this sort of thing might happen. That is why He implanted in us the Holy Spirit. It's that internal nudging that tells me to stop staring at the door and enjoy life for what it is. I've got a good home, a loving family, and the ability to have fun and enjoy life.

I'm also reminded of the separation anxiety I had as a child when I went to summer camp. I didn't want to go. But my Mom and Dad told me that I would have fun and that they would pick me up at the end of the week. Soon after meeting new friends, rowing boats across the lake, and roasting marshmallows under the stars, that anxiety of leaving home never entered my mind.
Well, this world is one big camp. There are new friends around every corner, lots of arts and crafts, and always with the promise of home at the end. Whenever I get that feeling of separation anxiety, the Holy Spirit sits me down and tells me that I should go and have fun; he will be there to pick me up at the end of camp.