Photo by Daniel Mirlea on Unsplash

A good friend called on my lunch break. We caught up after he returned from a silent retreat. He usually completes one every spring. He’s a seminarian and is studying to become a priest. What spoke to him this time around was the need for silence and rest amongst the busyness of our lives.

He asked me about my career change. I worked as a lay missionary and now I work in my field of study—finance. I raved about my work. I have a good team, a healthy work-life balance, opportunity for career progression, and a chance to use my investing skillset. And the job literally landed on my lap! It simply came out of me, “I think I’m in my dream job!”

My good friend was pumped up and rejoiced for finding this wonderful opportunity. I went further to say, “I think I am where I am supposed to be.” And he responded that this was a fortunate place to be in. Not many people can say that.

It’s true. There is nothing like feeling a deep sense of certitude that we are where we are supposed to be. I believe it is engrained in the human heart, to live a particular calling and mission with its various adventures. It comes down to this: God wants us to be alive and to thrive.

Alive—God wants us to be in communion with him. Because, we were meant to know, love, and serve him in this life. Nothing—and I truly mean this—absolutely nothing on this earth will satisfy us except a personal relationship with God. We can know him by opening our hearts to his love. We can grow a prayer life. And, we can seek forgiveness and reconciliation when we fall. This is what is means to be alive: living a right relationship with a God who deeply loves us.

And thrive. God doesn’t want us to live boring lives. He desires that we live with purpose, excitement, and energy. Joy, creativity, and passion are good characteristics of what it means to thrive. It’s a calling that comes after experiencing God’s love. It awakens us to his plan. Because life is too short not to be doing God’s plan. And there’s no time to seek it out than now—it’s never too late.

Yes, there are challenges, hurdles, and great suffering that comes with God’s plan. But that cannot take away the deep peace knowing we are where we are supposed to be. Know him. Live out your call. Be alive. And thrive.

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