Some fear that if someone makes comments like–“I’d rather be in heaven right now,” or “I wish I could just go to heaven,” or something similar to these–that he has a death wish or is having suicidal or unhealthy thoughts. Such is not necessarily the case. Think about these words.
Paul said, “For I am hard pressed between [living and dying], having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” (The New American Standard has, “for that is very much better.”) After talking about groaning in this body and earnestly desiring to be clothed with immortality (2 Cor. 5:1-4), Paul says that we “prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord” (5:8, NASB).
This may sound weird, but this earthly life is not what life is all about. As citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20), we are merely “strangers and pilgrims on this earth” (Heb. 11:13; 1 Pet. 1:1; 2:11). After a long trip, don’t you just want to go home? Life is that “long trip.” Heaven is home!