In the time right after graduation and in your early 20s you go from living with your best friends, seeing people on campus everyday, being known, to either moving back to a home that doesn't really fit you anymore or to a new city where you don't know anyone. And in both it's so easy to get really lonely. But what I've found this week, as I've had the blessing to talk and catch up with some of my best friends for the first time in a month or so, is that despite the loneliness and stuckness we sometimes feel, we are also often thriving in our own ways.
When you find that profession you are made for, that God fashioned you for it seems that he refills joy in us daily. Whether it's new readings for grad school, prepping for the mcat, having new skills come to you with ease, mulling over information, or getting to the next stage in an interview. And so despite the fact that it's hard to start over, to be away from those friends that you normally debrief your day with, by taking a step back and seeing all the amazing things they are going to accomplish, are accomplishing, I understand why we have to go our separate ways to fulfill those promises God gave to us.
The disciples so dutifully followed the calling they were given, especially in the wake of Christ's death. (Not to say that they didn't doubt and question because they are human and did but the threat that followed them was death). And so after they were placed in jail for healing in the name of Christ when an angel of the Lord came and opened the doors and told them {5:20} "Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people all about this new life" they did as they had been told. And even when they were brought before the high priests, they did not abandon their calling of proclaiming the Lord but did it in steadfast obedience.
How many people back then and today would call the life the disciples chose one of thriving? They were men that were being prosecuted, thrown in jail, and now having the high priests demanding their deaths. But the disciples knew that God's definition for thriving is different than this worlds and He alone held the disciples lives. And so while others called for the deaths of the disciples, the Pharisee Gamaliel who was one of the most prominent teachers of the law and was honored by all of the people (and also happened to be Paul's teacher) spoke up in defense of the disciples. Intriguing no? And so in the wake of this persuasion it was decided that the disciples would be flogged instead.
And yet, even then, the apostles left rejoicing {5:41} "because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name of God". To them, in that moment, thriving was defined as suffering flogging in order to glorify the name of God. Thriving redefined.
And so, thriving will look different on each of us, and often we won't be able to see it in our suffering. Suffering of starting in new places, or returning to old places that no longer feel the same, but that is why we have been gifted friends that often know us better than we know ourselves, so when we do have the chance to catch up, you don't have to explain all of it, they just understand why a conversation was hard, or where the anxiety about work comes from because they know you, and ground you, and point you back to the person God made you to be. The person God has made to thrive.
So, to my fellow post grads go and thrive, chase after those opportunities that bring you joy and share them with old friends because your success is my success too.
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