John 16:20-22 Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Pain is a reality. Life is difficult. We could think of many common phrases about the nature of life. Obviously Jesus was speaking about their particular weeping and mourning that would be caused by his crucifixion. At the same time he was talking about their joy when he was to be resurrected. That is the context in history of his words, but his words are not just meant for the historical moment but can be applied to life in the future as well. I know in my life I had a great deal of pain and mourning that could not be comforted by God's internal joy until I met the resurrected Jesus. Now the world is still the world and painful circumstances are stil painful, but Jesus was right no one can take away my joy.
I wonder how many people have not met the resurrected Jesus. I find so many people that experience the world as a place where their very being is controlled by external sources. That joy that no one can take away is repeatedly taken away. My prayer is for everyone to have the peace that passes all understanding and the joy of the lord that is our strength.
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