I have been so blessed. Throughout my college years I have never ceased to be surrounded by a myriad of amazing friends. At any given moment there are friends to eat with, study with, laugh with, hike with, and pray with. No matter the major or life goal we have all crossed paths while we prepare and train. All of our journeys seem to have converged for a time and season. A very happy time and season.
Recently I have felt my friend-filled days may be numbered. For several years I have planned my class schedule, meal-times, weekend plans and often summer activities in order to spend time with my friends. What happens when people graduate? when schedules are no longer easily coordinated? when one stays and the other goes?
Life goes from a group hike to a relatively solitary walk.
When faced with the prospects of making life decisions alone, irregardless of the plans of my friends, I am at first quite overcome with bleak thoughts. The thought of close friends being scattered to to the far ends of the earth is disheartening. I cannot seem to see anything beyond the bonfires, Bible studies and hymn sings I will miss so much.
If I ended here it would leave only gloominess and depressed thoughts. There is another side to this coin of the "solitary walk".
As we all know, we are " a chosen race, a royal priest hood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession" that we might "proclaim the excellencies of Him who called" us out of darkness to His light (1 Peter 2:9). We each have been individually chosen for a specific mission just as surely as Abraham, Elijah, Samuel, John the Baptist and others.
Many from this "great cloud of witnesses" were called out into a ministry that was quite singular and at times solitary. One would think they were some of the loneliest must forlorn people of the earth. While they probably did long for companionship, I can tell you with assurance that they were the most purposeful and power-filled people the world has ever seen. Their full reliance and hope was upon their God.
Friendship is precious. I treasure it. Companionship is irreplaceable. I crave it. But as I sit and wonder about the future I have come to a conclusion.
I treasure and crave my God more.
