Permanent Joy Follows the Pain of Labor

David W Palmer

(John 16:16–18 NLT) “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.” {17} Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? {18} And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

These seem like reasonable questions for Jesus’s inquisitive disciples. They wanted to know more about Jesus, his intended actions and their outcomes. Wanting to learn more about Jesus is always a good idea. Let’s see how Jesus responded:

(John 16:19–20 NLT) Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. {20} I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.”

Jesus’s answer and explanation seemed to start with some more mystery. He hinted strongly at his impending death, but introduced new ideas: “you will weep and mourn,” “the world will rejoice,” and “grief … suddenly turn to wonderful joy.”

The Lord’s apprentices seemed slow at grasping the fact that he was talking about his looming death. After all, it’s not normal for a healthy life-filled person—especially one who had recently raised dead people to life on numerous occasions—to talk openly about dying so soon. However, this is exactly what Jesus was doing. He explained further with a simile:

(John 16:21 NLT) “It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world.”

Jesus likened to the labor pains of birth what he was about to undergo. The indescribable pain of giving birth to something new is eventually eclipsed by the “joy” of bringing new life “into the world.”

Our Savior was obviously talking about his arrest, false trial, torture, and crucifixion. But he revealed to his friends that this was no ordinary death. Jesus wasn’t just going to die; he would simultaneously be bringing something fresh to birth—something that would bring new life to the whole world.

Jesus’s disciples could not possibly have grasped the significance of what was about to happen; that’s why they would initially weep and mourn. And naturally, they would have their grief suddenly turned to wonderful joy when they realized he resurrected. However, to fully appreciate, understand, and appropriate everything he achieved in those three days, would require supernatural revelation from the Spirit of Truth—followed by diligent mind renewal with what he revealed.

Perhaps, the apostle Paul was the first one to really grasp the depth and power of Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection:

(Galatians 1:11–12, 15–18 NLT) “Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. {12} I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. … I did not rush out to consult with any human being. {17} Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. {18} Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days.”

When Paul met Jesus, he invested three years alone with the Spirit of Truth in Arabia. This is how he received the amazing revelations and truths he disclosed in his letters—which make up over half of the New Testament’s books. As we read them, the same Spirit of Truth that inspired them can bring revelation to us. We can then receive his truths, meditate on them—ingesting them into our spirits until t

(1 Tim 4:13 )