Transformed – teen devotion – May 25, 2025

One key truth: Deep and lasting joy is possible—even when life hurts.

Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 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. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
John 16:16, 20-22

From Pain to Joy

It happened during a polar vortex—you know, one of those freezing, wind-howling, everything-is-closed kind of days. That’s when I became a dad for the first time.

Now, I wish I could say I did the hard work… but let’s be real—that was all my wife.

Everything seemed okay at first, but then one of the three machines monitoring her started going off like a car alarm in a traffic jam. The problem? The umbilical cord was wrapped around our baby’s neck. Every time my wife had a contraction, the baby was being choked. It was terrifying.

Suddenly, we were being rushed into an operating room for an emergency C-section. I got suited up in hospital scrubs. My job? Don’t pass out from the sight of blood—and keep cheering on my wife, who was in serious pain. Check and… mostly check.

After what felt like forever, we heard it: a baby’s cry. Our son was here. The cord was cut, and I got to hold him for the first time. And then came a moment I’ll never forget—handing him to my wife. Even through the pain, even with tears streaming down her face, her eyes lit up with joy.
That’s when it hit me—pain turned to joy.

Jesus actually talked about this with his disciples. He told them, “Yeah, it’s going to hurt. But just wait—joy is coming.” He knew the pain he was about to face on the cross. He knew how bad it would be. But he didn’t run from it. He went through it—for us. So that our pain wouldn’t be the end of our story. So we could gain something greater—heaven.

So yeah, life is going to bring pain sometimes. But with Jesus? We have way more to gain than we could ever lose.

Prayer:
God, thank you for sending Jesus to face the pain I never could, so that I could have the joy of heaven. When life hurts, remind me: something better is coming. Amen.