Grief Turned to Joy
Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
John 16:20 (NIV)
These words, spoken by Jesus nearly 2,000 years ago, have been a lifeline for countless people facing sorrow. Today, let’s think about the first ones who clung to them: his disciples.
Jesus spoke these words on Thursday of Holy Week in the Upper Room. By Friday, he was crucified, and the world rejoiced in his death. Then came Saturday—a day of grief, confusion, and silence.
Perhaps the disciples were back in that same Upper Room, their tears breaking the quiet. Did the words from Thursday echo in their hearts? “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”
Did they dare believe it?
When Jesus said this, he wasn’t offering wishful thinking. He was declaring a truth written across the story of God’s people. From Abraham’s journey to Israel’s exodus, God had always turned grief into joy. It took time. It often involved loss. And it was always wrapped in mystery. But God was faithful.
If today feels like “Saturday” for you—a day of waiting, mourning, or uncertainty—know this: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”
Cling to this promise. It is true because of the One who spoke it and the empty tomb that followed.
Your joy is coming. Hold on with hope, because God is still turning mourning into dancing, sorrow into singing, and grief into joy.
Note after sharing the devotional: I think a big part of why the Resurrection was so powerful to us is that no one was expecting it to happen. Not only so, but no one could have conceived of such a thing. Sure, Jesus had raised Lazarus up from the dead a short while ago, but for whatever reason it wouldn't capture people's imagination in the same way. (Most likely because Lazarus was not the Son of God...) But I was reminded of a passage of two men walking down the road on the day of the Resurrection where they didn't realize they were talking to the risen Jesus, but after the fact realized that even deep inside their hearts they suspected something was up.
It's interesting - before a major horrific event, sometimes we see (or feel) signs ahead of the fact. The day before Charlie Kirk was assassinated, I had been commuting from one place to another and noticed that traffic was unusually stressful and hectic. (For context, I now live quite a way out into the suburbs of Chicago, and yet my experience of traffic was not unlike being in the city! That's how strange it was for me.) I remember hearing anecdotally from a couple friends who owned cats that, on the morning of September 11, 2001, all of their pets were hovering low to the ground in fear, as if they knew something really bad was about to happen. And we cannot discount how animals will flee the scene if a predator or a tornado are nearby and about to arrive on the scene (if they hadn't already).
But, even more rarely is when such an amazing event happens to the point that aspects of creation would celebrate (aspects of creation that we wouldn't otherwise consider):
13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”
18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”
19 And He said to them, “What things?”
So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”
25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
Joy, indeed!
For His anger is but for a moment,His favor is for life;Weeping may endure for a night,But joy comes in the morning.
Prayer: God, thank You for Your promise to turn my grief into joy. In times of sorrow and uncertainty, help me to trust in Your faithfulness and cling to Your hope. Strengthen my heart to wait on You, knowing joy is coming because of Jesus and the empty tomb. Thank You for Your love. In Jesus's name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment