Sorrow Transformed to Joy

The other day I was walking into our daycare when I met a little girl so full of excitement. She told her dad, “Dad, hurry up; I have to tell the kids that the snow cone truck is here.” Her enthusiasm was contagious. She had some very good news, and she had to share it. That should happen to us as we enter our churches, “God is here, and I am so excited.”

The problem is that we all have so much sadness and sorrow that we find little to be excited about in life. Just before Jesus went to the cross, he told his disciples that they would have their sorrow transformed into joy. “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20).

The disciples did grieve when Jesus died on the cross. They experienced a range of negative emotions and then everything changed. Their sorrow turned to joy when they learned Jesus was alive. They experienced great joy, “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples” (Matt 28:8).

There must have been weeping and hugging at this newfound joy. The disciples were in a whirlpool of despair but were suddenly lifted by their great joy! What relief they experienced in the following days! Because their emotions had gone from sadness to gladness, their joy was more profound than any they had ever known. What contagious joy they must have experienced when they finally comprehended that Jesus was resurrected from the grave.

The Holy Spirit did not replace their sorrow-he transformed it! And that is what Christ predicted that last night he was with his disciples. And this is what the Holy Spirit does for us—He helps us find joy! “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again, and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (John 16:22).

Jesus told his disciples to ask for whatever they needed in his name, and his father would grant their requests (John 16:23-24). Unfortunately, some have interpreted this to mean that they can ask for what they want, and they will get it. It instead means coming on the merits of Jesus and not ours. Let’s suppose you are a general, and the army commander sends you into battle with your troops, and as you go, he says, “Anything you need, just ask for it in my name.” Do you think he is referring to your personal gain? No, he is referring to the battle, whatever is needed for the successful execution of that battle.

Jesus told his disciples that no matter what they encountered in this world, they could overcome it and experience joy. Here are his words, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).