"What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord," (Philippians 3:8a)

If you've ever lost something to follow Jesus, this passage will speak to you tremendously. Maybe it meant walking away from a job to pursue God's calling on your life or maybe it was ending a relationship that wasn't God honoring. Maybe it was a sin pattern. When you hate it or even when you love it, following Jesus will cost you something. But God always provides for all its costs and He'll always return more than what is required. That's the heart of Paul's words here in his letter to the church at Philippi. He wrote these words from prison where nearly everything had been taken from him. His reputation, relationships, power, and wealth. After losing it all, Paul tells us, 'it's worth it.' Paul says the joy of knowing Jesus deeply far outweighs fleeting earthly pleasures. Because when all of that has come and gone, Jesus is still with us! And He's where the joy is!