Jesus told His disciples, “You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy” (John 16:20 CSB). He said this relating to His coming death and return to the Father. Yes, His disciples would be sad when they witnessed His crucifixion, but later, after they understood its purpose, they would be joyful. They’d be SO joyful, in fact, that their sorrow would be all but forgotten, like a mother after giving birth forgets the agony of labor (verse 21).

In life, we, too, feel sorrow from time to time. I think of my friend who is facing cancer and a life-changing surgery. We grieve a loss (of many kinds). We sorrow over life change; we find new physical limitations; we are treated poorly or betrayed; we hurt in all sorts of ways. But having faith — we will understand the purpose later — we can access that joy even in the sorrow. That is a work of God! Only divine help supporting our faith can enable us to see past the sorrow of today to embrace the joy of the future.

“Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 CSB)

“Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a).

Oh, Father! May this kind of faith be true for me! When difficult news comes my way, help me look past the temporary discomfort to the joy awaiting me, understanding that You have a divine purpose in every sorrow You allow into my life. Increase my faith! Help me lift up my eyes to the joy ahead. Amen.