This week we are looking at verse #3. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Matthew 5:2-10
and he began to teach them saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Usually I see mourning and deep grief as a negative emotion, but here we see it as a blessing! Sort of ironic. God doesn't want us to be mourning all the time, but there are times in life when it is necessary. Like when a close family member dies, or when there is a great trial approaching you. Jesus mourned in both of these examples. First when Lazarus died, and then in the garden of Gethsemane, before His crucifixion. Mourning is not a sin.
In those times when it is needed to mourning is when we need God the most! When Jesus said we would be comforted I don't think He meant other people. Although that too is a blessing, they are only human. Jesus was talking about Himself, and how He would never leave us. This verse proves my point.
Job 5:11
He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.
God will comfort those who mourn. Imagine what a tremendous blessing it must be to be comforted by God that He would count it a blessing that we mourn. We obviously don't need a pep-talk when we are okay with everything going on around us, but when things get hard is when we look for God to help us. When we are comforted by a friend we grow closer to that person. When we are comforted by God we grow closer to Him.
Apparently God LOVES it when we come to Him alone when we are hurt. Jesus went to Him (Ironic) . God loves to comfort. This verse is a promise from God to us letting us know that anytime we need a fortress to run too, God will be there! Amazing promise! So many men in the OT lost everything, and felt so alone. But even in those hard times they held on to God, and He helped them through that trial. Only God and give true comfort.
So next time you are mourning, and you feel like the world is falling down around you, run to the Lion of Judah. He will give true comfort, and will rise you up to safety! What an awesome promise!
Any thoughts on this verse?
Is there any times when God helped you through a hard time?
I love comments! :)
-Jerry
I'd never actually thought if mourning was a sin or not. I really thought it was more towards sin then not, but I hadn't really taken the time to think about it. As I read what you said, I realized that mourning really isn't bad at all. I've thought that since God gives us joy in our mourning, it's not okay to mourn because it means you're not seeking God's joy. I see here though, that even through God's joy, there will always be trials and reasons to mourn. That really is an awesome promise that God will always comfort us! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post! :)
Hey Jerry,
ReplyDeleteGreat post... I was looking up this particular verse and found a audio commentary by Chuck Smith. I typed it up while listening, thought you might like to see it…
“Blessed are they that mourn, now that’s really paradoxal (contradictory), isn’t it. Happy are they that mourn… but having come to a real awareness of myself in the light of God, (he explained that with the “poor in spirit”) Coming to the poverty of spirit, My heart is broken over my own condition. I mourn, over my failures, over what I see of myself and in myself. But the promise of the lord is, “they shall be comforted” As the lord begins to minister to me, the power of his holy spirit and his strength and I begin now to experience those victories of Jesus Christ in my life, and that makes me indeed happy. But that doesn’t come until I’ve come to the end of myself in that place of just mourning and the fact that I have no strength, no ability, no power, I feel that helplessness. I cry out from helplessness. And then I begin to experience the glorious power of God doing, in my life, what I could not possibly do for myself.”