You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. (John 16:20 ESV)
Sorrow
We find so many offers of comfort in sorrow. The entertainment industry beckons us to rest in her delightful arms, and avoid our sorrows. The medical world prescribes nutrition, balance, and longer life to outlast our sorrows. Our government offers bread and circuses to distract us from our sorrows. Our education systems offer us relief from thinking about our sorrows, direction on redefining our sorrows, or a chance to stand back and evaluate sorrows till we do not see them anymore.
How are those things working out for us?
We still have sorrows.
Jesus is pointing out that His presence in our lives is the only solution to sorrow. Our sorrows will turn into actual joy in the context of Jesus’ actions, Jesus words, and Jesus’ love.
The reasons for sorrow do not easily go away. The solution to those sorrows is as easy as saying, “yes,” to Jesus.
We are peculiar, our sorrows can turn to joy.