During Jesus’ three years of ministry, things were going well for the disciples. They saw Jesus’ miracles. They heard His teaching. They walked with Him and ate with Him. Life was good. Life was full of joy. They had everything they needed. They were, in many ways, at the height of it all.
On the night in which Jesus was betrayed, He was gathered together with His disciples in the Upper Room. He said to them, “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again, a little while, and you will see Me.” And He went to talk about the sorrow that they will go through, but that this sorrow will turn into joy.
That very night, Jesus was be taken from them. He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. The disciples ran away. They were scattered. Jesus was scourged by the soldiers. He was nailed to the cross. He was mocked by the people. He died and was buried.
Sure enough, the disciples were sorrowful. They had hoped that Jesus would redeem them from the Romans, but now He is dead. They felt guilty for running away from Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter felt the weight of denying Jesus in the courtyard. And they were afraid that the Jews might crucify them too, so they hid behind locked doors.
Jesus’ words came true. He said to them earlier, “A little while, and you will see me no longer…. Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament… You will be sorrowful.” This is the suffering He was speaking about. And this is exactly what the disciples were experiencing. And yet the joy is just around the corner. Jesus will soon appear to them on Easter evening.
This same pattern is at work in your life.
There are times when everything is going well. Your faith seems strong. Life is stable. Blessings abound. Things are good in your family and in your work. You see God’s blessings in your health, your home, your church, and your community. In those moments, it is easy to begin expecting that this is what the Christian life is supposed to be … joyful and secure all the time; no problems.
But then comes the “little while.” Then comes suffering. And everything changes. You lose a loved one. You fear a diagnoses from the doctor. Conflict arises in your family or among friends. Your prayers seem unanswered. You carry guilt because of your sin. You lose your job and the list goes on and on. Suddenly, the very things that once seemed certain begin to feel uncertain.
You begin to ask, “Does God really love me? Is He in control? Why is this happening to me?” And then the devil and the world tempt you with lies saying, “If God were good, you would not be suffering” or “If Christ loved you, your life would be easy” or, “If your faith was strong enough, you would not suffer.” Do not believe these lies.
Jesus never promised a life on earth without any problems. He said, “In this world you will have tribulation.” St. Paul even talks about the sufferings that we go through in this fallen sin-filled world. Suffering is real, and it is intense.
When life is easy and when things are going well, we are tempted to trust in worldly things rather than in God, the giver of every good gift. We begin to think that possessions will bring us joy and happiness. Our faith starts to trust in stuff. We begin expecting from Jesus not salvation from sin, but success and comfort. This is a dangerous place to be. If our faith rests on earthly happiness, it will collapse when suffering comes.
And when suffering comes—and it will—we have no other option than to seek Christ. We are driven to the Gospel.
Jesus compares this to a woman in childbirth. He says, “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow, because her hour has come.” The pain is real. It is intense. But when the child is born, the mother no longer remembers the pain. She is joyful that a baby is born. Her suffering and pain in childbirth is not meaningless. It has a purpose. It leads to joy that a baby is born.
So, it is with you and me.
Our suffering is not meaningless. It has a purpose. It humbles us and breaks down our pride. It brings us to repentance. At times, God uses suffering to discipline us in love. Suffering draws us closer to Him. It strengthens our faith. It teaches us that we cannot make it on our own. It drives us to pray. It drives us to rely entirely on Christ. We need God’s strength. We need his peace and joy.
First comes the cross, then Easter. First comes pain in child birth, then joy that a baby has been born. So also in your life. First there is suffering, then there is joy.
What is that joy? Your joy is not found in earthly possessions. Your joy is found in Jesus—His death upon the cross for your sins and His resurrection from the dead. Your joy is found in the forgiveness of sins and the gift of life and salvation. Your joy is knowing that you have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Your joy is knowing that your guilt is gone, your death is defeated, and your future of heaven is secure.
Think about the disciples on Easter. They were afraid. The doors were locked. The world outside had not changed. Christ’s enemies were still powerful. And yet, when Jesus stood among them and said, “Peace be with you,” everything changed. Their joy came from seeing Jesus alive. He won victory over death and the grave. That is the joy that no one can take away from the disciples, not even persecution and martyrdom.
And that same Jesus comes to you. He hears your prayers. He sees you. He speaks to you through His Word. He gives you His precious Gospel. He comes to you giving you His body and blood. He comes to you in your sorrow and says, “Peace be with you. Your sins are forgiven.” Your suffering is not the final word. Christ’s peace is the final word.
This is why the Christian life is always marked by both sorrow and joy. You have sorrow over sin, yet joy in forgiveness. You have sorrow over suffering, yet joy in Christ’s promises. You have sorrow over death, yet joy in the resurrection of the body. These exist together, just as they did for the disciples.
And notice the duration of suffering. Jesus said to His disciples that their suffering is “a little while.” To us poor sinners, suffering can feel long and heavy. But from God’s perspective, it is brief. We are living in the “little while.” Eternal life in heaven is coming.
Jesus said to His disciples in the Upper room, “I will see you again.” He saw them again three days later when He rose from the dead.
Jesus will see you at the resurrection of the body, but He see you now. He knows you. He knows your pain. He hears your prayers. And He will bring you through this “little while” into everlasting joy. That joy is yours now by faith, and it will be yours forever.
This joy in the Gospel changes how you live, even in the midst of suffering. You do not live as one without hope. You do not blame God, but you turn to him in prayer. You do not lose faith, but you trust that He will carry you through your suffering. You have faith that He will help you to persevere in this fallen world. You hold on to the promise that Jesus is with you; that He forgives your sin; and that He sustains you in this life here on earth.
What is true joy? It is rooted in Christ. In His cross and resurrection.
So what do you do you in the meantime? You wait, just like Jesus said. But as you wait, you love your neighbor. You carry your cross of suffering. You love your family and care for them. You are faithful to your vocation.
Jesus said, “and not one will take your joy from you.” In other words, suffering cannot undo what Christ has done. This joy in Christ cannot be taken away. Everything else can be taken away. Health can fail. Relationships can break and life itself can end. But Christ cannot be taken from you. And if you have Christ, you have everything.
So when suffering comes—at it will—do not be surprised. Remember His word, “A little while.” It’s only a little while because Christ will come again. On the last day, all sorrow will be turned into joy. You will see Jesus face-to-face with our own eyes. Your suffering will end and your joy will be complete.
In heaven, there will be no more waiting. The goal will be reached. You will be with our Lord forever. God grant this. Amen.
