Stay Enchanted With Jesus

 Followers of Jesus are not immune to suffering. Jesus Himself suffered. So did the disciples and the Apostle Paul. Through the ages Christians have been persecuted, marginalized, ostracized, and even killed. Following Jesus does not always lead to an easy road. It is a road marked with suffering at times. 

Why would Christians endure such ill treatment when denying Christ would lead to an easier life? That easier life is only temporary. There is much more that follows our physical life in eternity. Living for the temporal is a no win proposition. There is something else that drives Christians to endure dark seasons of depression, rejection, hardships, and unrelenting pressure among pagan people who want Christians silenced. The enchantment with Jesus supersedes all the hardships. 

What do I mean when I write stay enchanted with Jesus? The word enchanted means to be filled with delight and charmed. The closer Christians get to Jesus in their personal walk the more enchantingly delightful they find Him. Knowing Jesus is greater than anything in the world. Paul wrote about the "surpassing value of knowing Jesus," in Phil 3:8. He went on to write that he counted everything else as loss compared to Christ. This is not religion. It is all about a personal relationship. 

Jesus wants to be known. He wants to reveal Himself to serious seekers. Millions of Christians have learned through the ages that knowing Him, put another way being enchanted with Him, is better than anything. It gives courage to suffer. Jesus does not abandon His followers in their sufferings. He draws near to them. He comforts, sustains, strengthens, and produces perseverance. He does not abandon His people during hardships. He knows what it is like to suffer and ministers to His followers out of His experiences of suffering. 

We stay enchanted with Jesus when we seek Him daily. When we spend linger long in His presence in private devotions. Even when we question why such intense suffering comes our way. We may not get the answers we want to all our why questions, but we will discover that He is sufficient. He is sufficient in suffering. He is sufficient in pain. He is sufficient in doubts, depression, discouragement, and dry spells. He is enchanting. Reflection on His cruel death on a cross is enough to cause the greatest delight to our wounded souls. He agonized so we could escape eternal suffering. He died so we could live and enjoy everlasting life. 

Staying enchanted with Jesus means discovering more about Him. It means getting to know Him and not just about Him. It means experiencing the joy of His presence in each season of life. He rejoices when we rejoice. He weeps with us when we weep. He hurts when we hurt. He is invested in His followers. His love is indescribable. According to Rom 8:35-39 nothing can separate us from His love. For those reasons and many more we must and should stay enchanted with Jesus during the hard times. He will walk us and talk us through them. Stay enchanted with Jesus through it all.