John 16:22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
This verse speaks of grief and suffering, followed by a joy no one can take away. Joy following a dark period is all the sweeter, given the experience one might have gone through. Dark days seem all the darker when there is no light, and the disciples experienced the Light of the world being snuffed out before their very eyes. Their grief must have been intense and unbearable. But imagine the joy they felt at knowing that He was alive again.
Today’s verse was spoken by Jesus to His disciples to help them prepare for what was to come. He warned them of the dark days ahead. But He also promised them that no one would take their joy away.
Though the words were spoken by Jesus and were intended for His disciples, we can find comfort in them, too. We can be assured that our God is a God of love and compassion. He wants what is best for us and doesn’t like to see us harmed or hurting. We may be experiencing a period in our life where we are grieving something – a person, a relationship, a job, etc. – and it may feel like there is no hope. But there is! We see story after story in the Bible that speaks of the joy people had, the blessings in their lives, the light at the end of the tunnel…. And we can draw hope and inspiration from them. We can trust that He loves us, too, and will turn our dark days into bright joy.
Best of all? That joy will never be taken away!
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