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“Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” —John 16:20–22

One of the most difficult seasons I’ve experienced in my lifetime was the death of a dream that I had connected to our calling. Karen and I attended seminary so that we could serve overseas as missionaries; my degree is in Missiology. However, following God’s leading, we were called away from that path. I went through several years of struggle when my joy was under attack. Thankfully, I never lost it. The reason is that I was convinced nothing could separate me from the love of God found in Christ, and no one could take my joy away from me. The reason for that confidence is explained in this text.

Jesus had just told the disciples that He was going away in a little while (v. 16). They didn’t know what to make of that, so they began questioning one another: “What does He mean?” Jesus knew they had questions, and so He spoke these verses. Of course, we know their weeping and lament would come because of the cross and Jesus’s death. And we know their joy would be cemented in their hearts forever at His resurrection.

In order to sustain our joy so that no one will rob us of it, we need to remember the events that have taken place—Jesus’s first advent (incarnation), His perfect life, and His substitutionary atonement (our punishment paid by Jesus). That’s what Jesus was explaining to His disciples: you mourn now, but you won’t in a little while (v. 19). That’s why, in our church tradition, once a month we celebrate the Eucharist—the Thanksgiving (see Experiencing Peace, December 11 blog post)—or what we more commonly call the Lord’s Supper. Jesus gave us this memorial so that we wouldn’t forget the crux of our faith:

“…‘Do this in remembrance of Me.’ … For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” —1st Corinthians 11:24b, 26

Nothing should overshadow the joy we have in Christ—not disappointment, persecution, sickness, or even death—nothing. When we become overwhelmed by busyness or by one of the aforementioned negative experiences, and when the enemy tries to steal and destroy the life that Jesus has given (John 10:10), the remembrance of Jesus’s resurrection should bring us back to joy.

When you notice the negativity of your experiences mounting, take time to remember what Christ has done at the cross and the effect His resurrection has on your eternity compared to maybe one hundred years—likely fewer—you experience in this fallen world.

That’s why the practice of the Advent wreath resonates so deeply with me; it is another opportunity to remember weekly and to combat the enemy’s strategy of distracting us with insignificant events here and now.

So today, if you are struggling with the negative experiences that come into your life, take time to remember the source of your joy—remember Jesus, what He has done, and how those results can never be overwhelmed by any opposing experience. You might also consider establishing a rhythm of practice in your life that will help you remember consistently.

Some possible examples include reading through the Bible in a year, establishing a daily prayer time, fasting once a week or once a month, practicing the Advent wreath, observing Lenten fasts, practicing a weekly Sabbath rest, or finding accountability partners or groups.

I hope today your joy is made complete.