It is his relationship with the Father which sustained Jesus throughout his
earthly existence. But it was the permanency of this
relationship beyond his time on earth that made a difference
for him. The joy he had as the eternal Son of God will be the
joy he anticipated as the risen Lord after ascension. This was
the intention of Hebrews 12:2 " Let us gaze upon Jesus, as
the Author and the completion of our faith, who, having joy
laid out before him, endured the cross, disregarding the
shame, and who now sits at the right hand of the throne of
God." As Jesus kept before him this relationship, so we are
called to do the same. In so doing our joy will not be altered
by the circumstances of our life, but will be sustained and
nourished by our joy in God, whom we hope to see face to
face and be with eternally.