“Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned to joy. Whenever a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she remembers the anguish no more, for joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy away from you. And in that day you will ask Me no question. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.”
Not only did Jesus recognize the disciples’ confusion and let them know He understood that they were confused, but He sought to help them understand – even in their confusion – that what He was talking about would be a good thing in the end. He sought to comfort them.
Yes, He said, there will be a time of sorrow. But it will be followed by a time of joy. To show them how a time of sorrow could turn into joy, Jesus used the example of childbirth. A woman going through childbirth endures great pain, but when the child is born, she rejoices. The pain is painful for sure, but it is insignificant compared to the joy produced by a newborn child.
Jesus does not deny that the disciples are about to endure significant pain. He wants them to be prepared for it. At the same time, although they do not yet understand how it could be so, Jesus teaches them that enduring the pain will be worth it all. His goal is to give them hope, to strengthen their hearts so that they can endure the pain. It is clear that they will be separated from Jesus for a while, because the contrast to their sorrow is the joy that comes when Jesus sees them again.
The joy that follows this trial involves several elements. For one, it is permanent. When the time of sorrow is over, there will be a joy that cannot be taken away. For another, it is clear. Although the disciples do not understand what Jesus is predicting here, they will understand exactly what the pain was all about and why they had to go through it; they will not need to ask any more questions. Finally, it will change part of their relationship with the Father. Before, the disciples did not ask for anything in Jesus’ name; after the pain, the disciples will ask the Father for things in Jesus’ name, and they will receive what they ask for! Jesus says that this will complete their joy. Everything the disciples could ask for, they will have. They will see Jesus, their joy will be permanent, they will understand the goodness of what God has done, and they will continue to receive every good thing they ask for in Jesus’ name! Their joy will, indeed, be complete!
Father, that joy has proven to be permanent. We still have it today. And there is a clear reason for joy: Jesus died to save us from our sins, and He rose from the dead to defeat death! The curse on this world has been conquered! And we can still ask for the things Jesus taught His disciples to ask for and receive them from the You – You give wisdom, understanding, peace, forgiveness, new hearts with which to love, new desires and inclinations – everything we need for life! And when it is Jesus’ will and we ask for what Jesus wants, we even receive renewed health, new jobs, and various other physical provisions for this earthly life, even though these things are only temporary until Jesus comes again! Father, thank You for such a complete joy! You are so good to us, Jesus’ disciples.
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