Crying will become joy

Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

John 16:16

Jesus was saying a great truth, and that was to wait a little longer and not to despair for all that is happening, and to support these moments of sadness, because soon will arrive the time to laugh.

It is that He advised them that we will last a long time without seeing Him because He would go to the Father, but He also gave them the hope that He would one day return to us, and that all sadness would end. These words were spoken shortly before His arrest, at a moment when the disciples still did not understand the depth of what was about to take place. Jesus, full of compassion, prepared their hearts in advance so that when the moment of darkness arrived, they would remember that joy was waiting on the other side.

At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”

John 16:17

For you who are reading these words it can be very clear what Jesus was referring to in the words He said in verse 16, but the disciples did not understand anything, so they asked each other what He meant by all that. They were confused, troubled, and unable to see beyond the immediate moment. Their hearts were filled with uncertainty, because the idea of losing the Master they loved was unbearable for them.

However, this confusion also shows something important: Jesus always speaks with a purpose, and even when His words are not immediately understood, in due time their meaning becomes clear. The disciples would later understand that the “little while” referred to His death, His burial, and His resurrection. For them it would seem like a long night of anguish, but it would be followed by a dawn of indescribable joy when they saw Him alive again.

It must be said that while we are in this world, we will be going through all kinds of problems and difficulties, and moments of distress. And to this Jesus was referring, there we can see that He knew all the things that we would spend in this world. He was not ignorant of human pain; He understood sorrow because He Himself lived it. He knew that trials, tears, and moments of deep sadness would be part of our journey, and yet He encouraged us with the promise of His return and the certainty of His presence.

He did not promise a life free of trials, but He did promise victory. He did not promise a life without tears, but He did promise comfort. He did not promise that everything would be easy, but He did promise that He would be with us during every difficult season. Jesus knew that His departure would leave a temporary emptiness in the hearts of His disciples, in the same way that we sometimes feel alone or abandoned in our hardest moments. But He assured them that this absence was not permanent. It was temporary, purposeful, and necessary so that His work could be completed.

It is good that we, like those people that had moments of sadness, also endure because Jesus promised that soon He would come to put an end to all the pain that overwhelms us and what God promises He fulfills. The hope of the believer is not anchored in the present world but in the eternal promises of Christ. When Jesus says “in a little while,” He is teaching us to develop a heart that waits with confidence.

Many times we feel overwhelmed and tempted to think that sorrow will last forever. But Jesus’ words remind us that every trial has an expiration date. Darkness gives way to light. Mourning gives way to dancing. Pain gives way to healing. What seems endless to us is only temporary in the eyes of God. Just as the disciples would soon see Him again after the resurrection, we too will see Him, whether in moments of spiritual renewal, through His Word, or one day face to face when He returns in glory.

Dear reader, Jesus’ promise remains alive today. If you are in a season of sorrow, remember His words: “In a little while.” Hold on, trust, endure, and keep your eyes on Him. Your sadness will not be eternal; your trial will not last forever. Christ will turn your sorrow into joy just as He did with His disciples. And when He fulfills His promise, you will understand that every tear had a purpose and every trial brought you closer to Him.