When the Passover feast ended, and Jesus and taught the lesson on humility and ministry through washing the disciples feet, they began walking across the Kedron valley to the Garden of Gethsemane. As Thursday turned into Friday the disciples hearts became heavy. Mournful. Plaintive. Jesus knew and understood their sadness. And so he encouraged them, “let not your hearts be troubled.”
But they were troubled. Fretful. Afraid. They felt the impended end, if not the death of their Master and His ministry. For over three years they had walked with Him. Learned from Him. Been mentored by Him. And now somehow it was all about to come to an abrupt end. Indeed they were forlorn.
Knowing their troubled hearts Jesus gave them hope when He said, “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 14:20-22, NIV)
On Friday they would weep. Suffer shame. Feel pain. Experience abandonment. Their mental, emotional and spiritual anguish would be like the physical anguish a woman feels in giving child-birth. All the while the enemies are laughing. Taunting. Rejoicing.
But on Sunday as Jesus predicted, it would all change. Grief would give way to joy. Pain would be eased. Troubled hearts would be soothed. Tortured souls would be relieved. Sadness turned to gladness because Jesus arose. He overcame sin, death and the devil. His enemies could not silence Him. The grave could not hold Him. And the Devil could not stop Him. Yes, on Sunday sad hearts became glad hearts.
And so it is today. We all face our Friday’s of discontent. Trouble. Pain. Sorrow. Sometimes it’s hard to be happy. It’s difficult to rejoice. The heart is filled with anguish, pain and woe. And too often find ourselves looking at our circumstances instead at Christ. And listening to His comforting promise. It’s so to easy to say, “Why me, Lord?” Instead of saying, “Thy will be done.”
When we feel the pressure of life’s trouble, remember Sunday’s coming! Indeed our grief will turn to joy. Our hurts will be healed. Our hearts will be mended. Our souls will be strengthened. If we will embrace the heartache, it will give birth to hope. Peace. Delight. And through it all we will grow. Learn. And develop greater trust. Just like the disciples did.
Regardless of what is going on in your life today, stay focused on Jesus. Remember Sunday’s coming. And in it you will also find your grief being transformed to joy beyond measure.
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
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