The two final contestants were competing for the top prize on a recent show of “The Price is Right”. They had both made their guesses for the showcase showdown, where you win valuable prizes if you guess the closest on the cost of your showcase without going over the actual price.

The first contestant was elated when host Drew Carey told her that her bid was only $483 under the actual amount of her showcase. Carey praised her enthusiastically and told her that if she had been within $250, she would have won both showcases. Anyone familiar with the show knew that she had done quite well, and that she was almost certain to be the big winner for the day.

However, the second contestant’s bid was only $151 under the actual value of her showcase. As a reward for her accuracy, she won both showcase prizes.

When the winner was announced, the emotions of the first contestant were transformed in an instant. She went from certain victory to ultimate defeat. Instead of winning, she was going home without the big prize. In the twinkling of an eye, she went from exuberant joy to stunned disbelief.

Sometimes life is like an emotional roller coaster. Remember how you felt that instant when life pulled the rug out from under you? You were confident that you did well on the exam, only to receive a poor grade. You thought you had a wonderful marriage, and then you found out something different. You were certain that you were going to get that job, but they chose someone else instead. You felt fine sitting in the doctor’s office, but the tests said that you weren’t fine.

Life often promises you joy and then gives you grief instead. But life with Jesus isn’t like that. Jesus turns grief into joy. In John 16:20 he says, “I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

If the world is giving you grief right now, just hold on; your day of rejoicing is coming!