“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
??John? ?16?:?20?-?22?
Jesus did not sugar coat things. He told his followers straight up that they would suffer. To follow Jesus is to take up your cross.
But after that suffering, after the sacrifice, there is the promise of joy. Seven times we hear the phrase “a little while” in John 16:16-19. In the midst of pain and sadness, it does not feel like a short time. But looking back we can sometimes gain that longer perspective, that our losses in this life truly are brief.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” ???
2 Corinthians? ?4?:?16?-?18
Paul draws several contrasts here. First there is the internal, spiritual renewal compared with the external, physical pain. Then there is the temporal brevity of our suffering compared with the endless ages of eternity. Finally he contrasts the visible, tangible suffering with the unseen realities that will last forever.
And he calls us to focus on the internal, spiritual and eternal things rather than the external, physical, temporary things.
Easy to say when things are going well. Harder to do in the midst of great sorrow and pain. But that is precisely when faith is tested and strengthened, like iron in a furnace.
“Who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” ??
1 Peter? ?1?:?5?-?9?
Suffering tests us. It heats up our character and threatens to melt our faith. But in that furnace our impurities are steadily purged away and what remains is “the tested genuineness” of our faith. That pure kernal of trust in the Lord brings great glory and honor to Him and gives us deep and lasting joy.
Jesus concludes this section with the fifth and sixth promises of answered prayer in this part of John.
“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” ?
??John? ?16?:?23?-?24
This tells us that a vital means for us to persevere through our various trials and temptations is prayer. As we come before God the Father in the name of Jesus, He has promised to hear us, to love us, to sustain us and to give us what we need. Including joy.
So don’t be discouraged by the “light and momentary” affliction you are facing now. Rejoice in it, knowing God is using it to mature you, to bring glory to Him and to increase your joy in time. In order to keep that spiritual, enteral perspective, you will – of course – have to pray.