“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8

When you became a Believer, did you believe that life was suddenly going to become easy and simple? The Good News is that when we gave our lives to Him, our eternal destination was changed, and our sins, past mistakes, and chains of bondage were broken. We no longer have to live in sin and instead can have eternal joy and assurance in Him. The problem is that eternal joy is not the same as temporal or earthly happiness.

Scripture shows us that when Jesus called people to follow Him, He wasn’t telling them that everything would be easy. Instead, He told them the truth: this world hates Him and everyone that follows Him. Even more, He told them that the only way to truly follow Him would be to give up everything and pick up their cross, which was the most painful form of execution.

You see, the Enemy attempts to use the smoke and mirrors of temporary earthly pain in hopes that we forget the true freedom, joy, and eternal assurance we have with God. The pain that we feel is real in the moment, but it is worthless when compared to the eternal joy waiting. When Paul faced prison, torture, and potential death, he wrote, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Becoming a Believer was never meant to satisfy temporary earthly pleasures, but instead to realign, redeem, and restore our eternal relationship and joy with Jesus Christ.

This week, let’s ask for God to deepen our relationship with Him, and to look to Him whenever the temporary pain and persecution of this life rises against us.