Turn Your Sorrow into Joy.
The Fruits of Sorrows
Text: John 16:19-28 Message: Turning our Sorrow into Joy.
Key word: “A little while”, “Your (My) sorrow shall be turned into joy (lasting joy).
I just can let go, my heart is filled with sorrow. I am deeply saddened by what happened. These are statements expressing sorrows. But what is sorrow? Sorrow is a word translated into Greek as “Penthos” ?e????, “Lupe” ??p?, It basically means pain of the body or heart, a feeling of deep distress caused by a loss, disappointment suffered by a person It is also the outward expression of grief, lamentation, sadness, unhappiness, dejection, regrets, heaviness of heart, low spirit, grief, broken heartedness that we suffer.
The book of Psalms has the Psalms of lamentation as 13, 42, and 43. that Sorrow is common to all men, in fact, none is exempt from the arms of sorrow. It can strike a man at any time without an appointment. However when sorrows come knocking on our doors how do we respond. Also, why does it come? Sometimes people use it as an excuse to doubt the existence of God especially when little children die. Even the sufferings of the victims of Islamic terrors use it to doubt the power of God. But sorrow is here from the beginning and won’t go away. You must know that the enemy uses the time of sorrow as his opportunity to afflict and attack us to destroy our faith.1 Peter 5:8-9. Do you call your sorrow Benoni or Benjamin? You shall find out as you read.
The origin of Sorrow:
Sorrow originated from the Garden of Eden after the disobedience of Adam. Sorrow is the fruit of sin that started from the Garden of Eden. God told them of the thorns and thistle of the cursed earth. in the natural. And in the spiritual realms, it is more severe. The Lord also told the woman of her sorrow in childbirth. It means no man or woman is exempt from the long arms of sorrow. Genesis 3:16-19.
Types of sorrow:
There are two types of sorrow.
The godly sorrow which is according to the will of God. This produces good result of salvation, hope, and joy
Worldly or hopeless sorrow is of the unbelievers’ and produces death and does not produce repentance in the life of the unbeliever. This type causes men to blaspheme against God. 2 Corinthians 7:10. The differences come from the outcome or what it produces in our life.
The outcome of sorrow:
Godly sorrow according to scriptures 2 Corinthians 7:11, 1 Peter5:10.
It produces an earnest repentance and concern in us/ Vindication in us/ Indignation against sin/ Fear of offending God/ A longing for righteousness/ A passion for doing right/
It perfects and completes our faith/ stabilizes and confirm us/ strengthen us in the faith and refine our faith./.establish and root us deeply.in the Lord and our faith.
Why do we suffer sorrow?
We are living in a fallen world deep in transgressions. The wages of sin is death and one of the fruits of sin is sorrow or griefs. Moreover, we all have an appointment with sorrow because of the corruption and groanings of the earth. Romans 8:18-21. God uses sorrow as needed for our discipline. Hebrew 12:5-9. It is a tool for character development.Maybe you need to be molded to be fit for the assignment God has purposed for you. Romans 5:1-5. It is also used to fine tune and regulate our feelings Ecclesiastes 7:2-3. Sorrows follow after sin.
Alexander Whyte a Scottish preacher said we often hang our heavy weights on the thinnest wires. He is saying that we hang our hopes and happiness on temporary and transitory things that are not good foundations for our joy. They can be taken from us such as health, spouses, children, jobs, homes, and possessions and No one is exempt from sorrows. The book of 2 Corinthian, James, and 1 Peter are written for our understanding of sorrow. Believers may be sorrowful yet always are rejoicing. 2 Corinthians 6; 10, 7:4. There is a day coming when God has promised He shall do away with sorrow Revelation 21:4
Two Things we need in the midst of our sorrow:
Patience and faith 2 Thessalonians 1:4, When we are in sorrow we need patience and faith and count our ordeal as a joy to be able to manage the situation. The Bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen this means in sorrow let us anchor our soul on the substance and the evidence of the unseen God.
Three things sorrow produces in us:
Joy John 16:20,
Peaceable fruitful of righteousness and
John 16:33, Hebrew 12: 11
Let us return to our text and understand why and how our Lord expects us to deal with sorrow or lamentations.
How does He turn our sorrow into Joy :
Through the ministry of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit that comforts us in all our trouble. John 16:6-7
Christ Jesus through the Spirit of Comfort reveals to us the glory of the cross and transforms the cross to beauty to strengthen us John16:16, 20-21
He reveals the eternal picture or perspective that we might understand the glory after the sufferings John 16:16,22
The power of the resurrection is a mighty fortress in the time of sorrow. It is proofs that joy comes in the morning. John 16:22
Through prayer with the assurance of His role as the mediator. During the time of sorrow when it is hard, it is the time to come to the throne of grace. John 16:23-26
Our love and faith in Him John 16:27
Why does He do it
To develop our character so that we can be like Him Romans 5: 2-3, Hebrew 2: 10-11
So that we are able to comfort others 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
So that we would not trust in ourselves 2 Corinthians 1:9
To know the sufficiency of Christ 2 Corinthians 3:5
Our Lord Jesus Christ:
He is the Man of Sorrow who voluntary choose sorrow and suffering Isaiah 53:
He is full of compassion and a merciful High priest Mathew 15:32, Mark 1:41, Hebrew 4:14- / 5:2, 8, Psalms 103:8-113.
Our Response to suffering and sorrow:
When sorrows come that is the time to say just a little while but joy comes in the morning. God shall turn my sorrow into joy and no man shall take it from me. Take the example of Prophet Jeremiah, he wrote in the third chapter of Lamentation that this I recall to mind and have hope that God changes not and His compassion fails not, great is His faithfulness. What a testimony. Our Lord was a man of sorrow and overcame that we might have joy. Learn to call your sorrow Benjamin the son of my right hand and not Benoni the son of my sorrow Genesis 35:18
Spending time in the word of God
Consider Jesus our Lord The Author and finisher of our faith
Consider the prophets and Apostles of the Lord such as Jeremiah and Paul
Prayers and fellowship.
Ask God for wisdom in the midst of sorrow. James 1:
Questions
If suffering is for building character what should we do when sorrow comes? Should we ask God to stop it or say “A little while”?
