There are times when we can say, “Now, Lord, we can sympathize with you better than we ever did before, for we have felt somewhat as you did in your agony here below.” We have sometimes felt as though that prophecy had been fulfilled to us, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with” (Matthew 20:23 NKJV). For instance, if friends forsake you, you can say, “Now, Lord, I know a little better what your feeling was when Judas so basely betrayed you.” You can-not so fully comprehend the griefs of Christ unless, in your humble measure, you have to pass through a somewhat similar experience; but when you perceive that you can sympathize more with Christ because of your own sorrow, then, for certain, your sorrow is turned into joy.

In speaking those comforting words to his disciples, our Savior made use of this memorable sentence, “Your sorrow will turn into joy.” As I read the whole passage, I pondered over those words, and tried to find out their meaning. Perhaps you think, as you glance at them, that they mean that the man who was sorrowful would be joyous. That is part of their meaning, but they mean a great deal more than that. They mean, literally and actually, your sorrow itself shall be turned into joy—not the sorrow to be taken away, and joy to be put in its place, but the very sorrow, which now grieves you, shall be turned into joy. This is a very wonderful transformation; and only the God who works great marvels could possibly accomplish it—could, somehow, not only take away the bitterness, and give sweetness in its place, but turn the bitterness itself into sweetness.

Our sorrows, dear friends, are turned into joy in many different ways. For instance, there are some of us, who are such naughty children, that we never seem to come close to our Heavenly Father unless some sorrow drives us to him. We ought to be more with him in days of sunshine, if it were possible, than in days of storm, but it is not always so. It is said that there are some dogs which, the more you whip them, the more they love you. I should not like to try that plan even on a dog; but I fear that some of us are very like dogs, in that respect, if the saying is true. When we have a great trouble, we seem to wake up and say, “Lord, we forgot you when all was going smoothly; we wandered from you then, but now we must come back to you.” And there is a special softness of heart, and mellowness of spirit, which we often get through being tried and troubled; and when that is the case, you and I have great cause to rejoice in our sorrows, if they draw us nearer to God, and bring us to a clear and more careful walk with him. If they draw us away from worldliness, and self-sufficiency, and self-complacency, our sorrows, if we are wise men and women, will be immediately turned into joy.

Again, there is no doubt that, to many, sorrow is a great means of opening the eyes to the preciousness of the promises of God.

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