"A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me." (John 16:16)
On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus was preparing His disciples for what was coming. He had been with them for almost 3 years now. They had left their previous lives, their families and possessions to follow Jesus and they depended upon Him for everything. But now He was telling them that He was going to leave them and they were sad, confused and fearful about what their lives would be like without Him.
Although He promised to send another helper, the Holy Spirit to be with them, Jesus understood His disciple's anxiety about their future; Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, "Are you deliberating together about this, that I said , 'A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'? "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." (John 16:19, 20)
In addition to the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus promised that He would return. His absence would only be temporary and then He said that their "grief will be turned into joy!" There is comfort and hope knowing that as Christians, all of our grief, our trials, our pains and all other sorrows in this life are only temporary because we will soon be with Jesus. No more pain, no more suffering, no more sorrows, no more grief.
Whatever you are going through today, if you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, hold on to your hope in Him. The grief in this life is all temporary, but your coming comfort and joy is forever! For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our lord. (Romans 8:38, 39) Maranatha!
