John 17:13
“But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.”
What does John 17:13 mean?
Jesus is speaking to his Father just before his arrest, and he's expressing his deepest desire for his followers: that they would experience the fullness of his joy, not just a taste of it. He's saying these words aloud in the world so that his disciples (and by extension, all who would follow him) could overhear his heart and let that joy take root in them. The joy he's talking about isn't happiness dependent on circumstances, but rather a deep sense of peace and purpose that comes from knowing God and being part of something greater than yourself. Even as Jesus faces his own suffering, his concern is that we wouldn't be left orphaned or afraid, but would be filled with a joy so complete it sustains us through anything.