Full of Joy

John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."

This was a momentous statement for Jesus to say to His disciples at that very time. Jesus says this during a long conversation with the disciples after He washed their feet demonstrating true servitude (John 13: 1-17). He talked to them extensively about His crucifixion and how they should react to it. And during this conversation He tells them that "I have spoken this to you that My joy remain in you and that their joy would be full."
After telling them that He was going back to Heaven, how it would happen, telling them that one of them would betray Him, and even telling them that another one of them would betray Him. I'm sure that they were thinking, "what a thing to say to us." He is telling us that we should remain joyous!
As a matter fact, He makes this statement over and over during His ministry. Specifically, in the Beatitudes He explains that we should feel that we are blessed during times when we are poor in spirit, when we mourn, and yes during times of persecution (Matthew 5: 1-12).
It is my belief that Jesus is also telling us this today. God's Word, the Bible, is divinely spoken for all of His children to read and take comfort in it until that Great Day when Christ returns to bring all the Christians Home.
John also echoes this joy statement in 1 John 1:4, "And these things we write to you that your joy may be full." By this time Christ had already been crucified, buried, and resurrected. John had witnessed this and He was transferring that statement to us because He also found joy in the statement. Why have joy though? Well, the first reason is that we have an eternal hope in Heaven. The second reason is that as Christians we will have troubled times and we can look to that joy in our eternal hope; through Jesus Christ.
There is so much going on around us today and there are so many people losing hope. People are losing jobs, the economy is terrible, and Christians are being more persecuted. But, there is a reason to have hope; pure joy. This is because Christ is our forerunner that went on before us to Heaven and He is there praying for us and rooting for us. We have that eternal assurance that one day we will be with Him in Heaven. At that time all of our hardships will no longer be. We will no longer grieve. There will no longer be a reason to shed tears.
It is my prayer that you will rest in the assurance of Christ's return and have joy. Have joy abundantly!