Jesus said, “Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7)
It’s always hard to lose someone that we love. There is a lot of emotion, pain, grief, and processing that takes place for everyone. I still remember the first time (and only time) I saw my father cry was at the memorial service for his father. In John 16, Jesus was speaking to His disciples and explaining to them about what would need to take place for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. When a loved one is near death, we often think it is best to let death take its course. We say, “It will be better for them to go, and to stop suffering. It is to their benefit to go away.” But when someone we love is near death, we usually don’t think it is to our benefit that they go. Yet Jesus in this passage is telling the disciples and to us, that it is to our benefit that He goes away from us.
If the disciples really understood what was about to happen, it would be even more difficult for them to believe.
- To your benefit that Jesus is arrested?
- To your benefit that Jesus’ ministry of teaching and miracles is stopped?
- To your benefit that Jesus is beaten?
- To your benefit that Jesus is mocked?
- To your benefit that Jesus is sentenced for execution?
- To your benefit that Jesus is nailed to a cross?
- To your benefit that His lifeless body is laid in a cold grave?
The first word of verse 7 is so important. Nevertheless. The word meant a challenge to their sorrow and even their unbelief. Nevertheless means despite all of this. Jesus knew that His disciples were filled with sadness because of what He was telling them. Yet, despite all of that, He wanted them to know that this would be to their benefit, there would be a blessing from His departure.
Is there something in your life that seems tough to handle? Have you tried different ways to cope with it, but still can’t figure it out? Have you tried to ask Jesus for help, comfort, strength, and rely on Him for everything you need? Maybe we can’t see the benefit, but we need to trust that God’s ways are best for us and that whatever we are going through right now, is for our benefit.