¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

The words of Jesus echoed throughout Peter’s life, so that in his later years he encouraged the scattered, persecuted believers with these words, “… though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory…” (1 Peter 1:8). This was written after the absence of the physical Jesus for over thirty years (Peter wrote around A.D. 62-64), after much suffering of his own, and just a few short years before his martyrdom (A.D. 67).

John was even more reminiscent in not only remembering Jesus’ words and recording them here in his gospel account, but also in mimicking His words about joy in his first epistle: “These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete” (1 John 1:4). In his second letter, John builds on this: “Though I have many things to write to you … I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full” (2 John 12). His concern for their joy unmistakably reflects the Savior’s concern for the disciples’ joy in the Upper Room. He adds in his third letter, “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth” (3 John 4). Does this not reflect the Lord’s heart?

The author to the Hebrews (unknown to us, yet amid many suggestions no one proposes that it was one of those present in the Upper Room), picked up on the relationship of joy with suffering. With the great examples of the past setting the standard, he challenges all believers, “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:1–2).

Suffering, the bane of all human experience, the thing that has perplexed philosophers and thinkers from the beginning of time (think of Job and the question of suffering), finds meaning in Christ’s sufferings and our sharing in them. Suffering is transformed from a thing to be avoided to a thing over which joy has victory. Joy does not remove it, but supersedes it. Joy cannot be snuffed out by suffering. Because Christ suffered and died, suffering is not our bottom line. We can live a life of joy even in the midst of deep suffering. God will meet us there, like the fourth presence in the fiery furnace (Dan 3:24-25).

Lord, when I am suffering, You are there with me. And in that I rejoice.