ENDURING AND ABOUNDING JOY

Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will REJOICE, and your JOY no one will take from you – John 16:22b

Mentioning the word “joy” often brings to mind the positive feeling associated with some kind of good fortune, such as an unexpected blessing or promotion. Unfortunately, as exciting as this is, there isn’t much of it in most people’s lives. However, the Father’s Will is that Joy be our constant companion.

In John 16, Jesus spoke to the disciples about what to expect after He left them: that the Holy Spirit would come to continue His Mission (v.5-11) and guide them into all the truth (vs.12-15); and that the sorrow that was about to come upon them because of the cross would be transformed into an enduring and abounding Joy (vs.16-24). Beloved, God is always willing to turn every sorrow into Joy in our lives. The perplexity of Jesus’s death ultimately gave way to the promised resurrection.

Jesus assured the disciples that they would experience sorrow after His departure, but this would be turned into joy (v.16-20). The agony of the cross of Christ was eventually transformed into Joy at His resurrection. This is very much like how the pain associated with childbirth becomes joy when a baby comes forth from the womb into the light of the day: “A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world” (v.21).

How long were they to possess the joy that Christ spoke of in John 16:22? FOREVER! The seemingly crushing defeat at the crucifixion bowed. The Cross became a symbol of everlasting Victory. We are in the dispensation of the Spirit (v.23). The Spirit of truth is leading us into all the truth; providing us with all the answers we need. We, like Christ’s disciples, can now enjoy the benefits of the victory that He won for us at His cross. Joy is a very rare visitor for many people. In fact, for some people joy never visits them. But we who believe in Christ must expect our lives to be characterized by an enduring joy and an abounding joy – a Joy that is FULL and that can never be stolen or lost!