March 7th, 2018

Sorrow Turned into Joy

“Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.  A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.  Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.  And in that day you will ask Me nothing.  Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.  Until now you have asked nothing in My name, ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:20-24

There is a beautiful progression that occurs in chapters 15-17 of John’s Gospel.  John 15 begins with Jesus instructing the disciples about the significance of abiding (or remaining) in relationship with the true Vine.  From that abiding relationship will be fruit, pruning, and then even more fruit.  Jesus then tells the disciples to abide in His love, which is done by keeping His commandments.  Then in verse 11 we discover one of the results of abiding in Him and in His love is that Jesus will give us His joy and it will remain!  It is added to our joy, and our joy then becomes full.  This is a combination package of joy: the joy of Jesus and our joy.  In Gal. 5:22 we read that one of the fruit of the Spirit is joy.  This fruit is established in our spirit by the Holy Spirit.

John 16:20-24 describes the process of sorrow turning to joy.  Jesus has told the disciples about the coming Helper (John 15:26), the Holy Spirit, and now He is letting them know that His time is drawing near to leave them.  When He is crucified, the disciples will experience sorrow, even while the world rejoices.  However, the world will not have the final say!  Jesus tells His friends that He will see them again and “your joy no one will take from you.”  Beloved this is the “inexpressible joy” Peter writes about in 1Peter 1:8 – the joy of being united with Jesus.  “Though sorrow may last for the night, His joy comes in the morning,” according to Ps. 30:5.  This is powerful! 

Have you lost a loved one?  Have you suffered from deep sorrow and mourning over what you do not have?  Friend, Jesus has the last word on your situation and He has given you His joy to use as a weapon in the battle you are facing.  He is writing even now that joy is coming to you.  Jesus walks with you through your journey of sorrow and rejoices with you in your time of joy.