What does John 16:21 mean?

What does John 16:21 mean
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A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. — John 16:21 KJV

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A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. — John 16:21 NIV
 

Reflection on Verse for Today

This powerful verse from the Gospel of John is a vivid portrayal of the pain-joy paradox that exists in various aspects of life. The illustration of a woman in labor is universally understood as a moment of intense suffering, yet it results in an immeasurable joy that erases the memory of that pain.

The verse serves as a metaphor for the Christian journey as well. The Christian walk is not devoid of difficulties, challenges, or labor pains, so to speak. Trials and tribulations come and they often cause us to question or doubt and even lose faith. Yet these are the very conditions that set the stage for something new, transformative, and joyous to be born in our lives.

When we consider this Bible verse we are reminded today that the process of spiritual growth is rarely easy or comfortable. The disciples, to whom Jesus was speaking, were about to enter a time of great distress following Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and death. Yet, this period of anguish and uncertainty led to the joyous reality of the Resurrection and the birth of the Church. Their ‘labor pains’ gave way to a new era of grace, empowered by the Holy Spirit, where the message of God’s love could be spread to all corners of the Earth.

So it is in our individual lives. Our trials, as painful as they are, shape us, refine us, and prepare us for a new birth of understanding, compassion, or closeness to God. We are molded through our experiences and often find that our greatest times of growth come from our most severe trials.

If you are in a season of ‘labor,’ remember the promise encapsulated in this Bible verse from John 16:21. Pain and joy are two sides of the same coin; one often leads to the other in a mysterious, divine rhythm that only God fully understands. Your pain may be a precursor to joy unimaginable, just as the travail of childbirth yields the incomparable joy of a new life.

Let us hold onto the hope that even if we are in a season of suffering we are also in a season of waiting for joy, for transformation, for a new birth in our spiritual journey. And as Christians we hold onto the ultimate hope that all our earthly sufferings are but labor pains that will one day give way to an eternal joy in the presence of God.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, I come before you today with a humble heart, contemplating the Bible verse, John 16:21. The words Jesus spoke about a woman giving birth resonate deeply with me. They remind me that pain and suffering are but for a moment, and that joy follows close behind.

Lord, I acknowledge that in my life there are seasons of difficulty and sorrow. Yet, like a woman forgets her labor pains in the joy of holding her newborn, let me too forget my struggles in the radiant joy that You offer. Help me to endure the trials, big and small, keeping my eyes fixed on the ultimate joy that is to come, either in this life or the next.

Father, remind me that my present difficulties are preparing me for an eternal weight of glory that far surpasses them all. Let the message of this Bible verse strengthen me even this day and give me hope as I walk through the ups and downs of life.

I ask that You grant me the patience to endure, the faith to believe, and the hope to imagine the joy that waits for me. May my life be a testament to the truth that pain gives way to joy, darkness to light, and suffering to peace, all through Your eternal grace and mercy.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.