“So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” John 16:22
The last two years have been filled with sorrow. Loss. Pain. Sickness. Anxiety. Depression. Death. Conflict. Fear. These things have filled our lives the last two years. In 2022, we may fear that more of the same is headed for us. Honestly, you may be right. While, we pray that we will have less sorrow than we did a year ago, it’s not guaranteed.
But as we wade through the sorrow that festers like an open wound into the new year, God doesn’t give us a guarantee that will be taken from us. He promises us that one day our sorrow will be turned into joy. For the Christian, this is always true. Whether your sorrow is turned into joy later today, tomorrow, twenty-five years from now, or when you see Jesus face-to-face in glory, this promise will hold true.
Even though you may be sad today, joy is coming. A joy that is free from the stain of sin. A joy that is free from the pain of cancer. A joy that is not infected by Covid. A joy that does not experience death. A joy that does not weep over wandering children. A joy that does not fear rejection. A joy that will never be disappointed by a friend. A joy that will not be mixed with the regret of wasted time.
“No one will take your joy from you,” Jesus said. There is an amazing reality about this promise that we will feel to be true. It is this: our certainty in the promise of unstained joy in the future creates a present, hope-filled joy in the midst of our sorrow today. In this way, the Christian is “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Cor 6:10).
“Father, while I know that you have not promised that this year will be free of sorrow, I ask that you will help me to cling to the hope of joy I have in Christ no matter what comes. Please do not allow anything to take my joy in Christ away. In Jesus name we pray, amen.”
Reflection Questions:
What are the things that have happened over the last year that have caused us sorrow?
What gives us reason to rejoice in God as we embark on a new year with Christ?
Great Commission Encouragement:
Today, bless a friend that has experienced sorrow recently. For example: bring them a gift, write them a note, or buy them a meal. As you bless them, remind them of the hope of the unstained joy that Christ has promised them.