So you have pain now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. Luke 16:22
“The one thing needful is that we trust in our Lord Jesus Christ and believe in his Word, which means that when we are cast down under sorrow and temptation, it is but for a little while, so that we may find comfort in our suffering. For it is impossible for us to attain to happiness unless we have previously suffered pain and sorrow.
But what comfort! The Lord informs his disciples what joy awaits them. He says, “I will see you again.” This happened on holy Easter Day when they saw him again in a new and everlasting life. Similarly Christ also sees us, and our hearts see that for our sake he has overcome sin, death and the devil, that we too through him should live eternally. That is everlasting and eternal joy, which overcomes all sorrow and shall never be taken from us. Therefore we must not lose patience nor be fainthearted under the cross. For Christ is risen and is seated at the right hand of the Father, that he may shield us from the devil and from all misery, and make us blessed forevermore. May our faithful God and Father grant us this through his Son, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.” Martin Luther
