In the Spirit of Holy Week: Grief Turned to Joy

“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

John 16:20 (NIV)

These words from Jesus still echo through the ages, soft but steady, for anyone carrying pain, loss, or unanswered questions.

A Promise in the Midst of Pain

Jesus spoke these words to His disciples during a quiet, intimate moment on Thursday night, the night before everything changed. He knew what was coming. He knew the cross was hours away. Yet in the middle of it all, He gave them a promise: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

By Friday, Jesus was crucified. The same people who once cheered Him on now celebrated His death. The world rejoiced while His followers stood in shock, watching the one they loved hang on a cross.

Then came Saturday.

The Silence of Saturday

Saturday must have been unbearable. Confusion. Heartbreak. Silence. Maybe the disciples were back in that same Upper Room, sitting with their grief, questioning everything. Maybe one of them whispered those words again: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

But how do you hold on to a promise when it feels like hope has died?

God’s Track Record

The thing is, Jesus wasn’t offering a comforting line to help them cope. He was speaking truth, the kind that’s been proven over and over in the story of God.

From Abraham's long wait for a promise to Israel’s cries for deliverance in Egypt, God has always shown up. He has always turned sorrow into joy, even when it didn’t make sense. Even when it took time.

And He still does.

For Anyone in a Saturday Season

Maybe today feels like a “Saturday” in your life. A day or season of waiting, heartbreak, or unanswered questions. You’ve prayed, but nothing’s moved. You’ve cried, but the silence feels louder than ever.

If that’s you, hold on to this:

“You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

Not because life is predictable. But because God is faithful.

The Empty Tomb Still Speaks

That Upper Room didn’t stay quiet. The grave didn’t stay filled. And the grief didn’t last forever.

Sunday came.

Jesus rose.

And joy flooded every space where sorrow once lived.

So breathe. Rest. Hold on. Because the One who spoke those words is the same One who overcame death. And He’s still turning mourning into dancing, sorrow into songs, and grief into joy.