“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5: 4
What does blessing have to do with mourning? “Blessed are those who have no tears at all”… that’s what the world tells us. So when someone comes along whose life is characterized with mourning, and not partying… The world doesn’t know what to do. They see that person as peculiar and strange. It’s like raining on their parade or pouring cold water on their party! Jesus absolutely did not mean that believers aren’t to have any fun or laugh…
“A merry heart does good, like a medicine…” Proverbs 17: 22
“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance…” Proverbs 15: 13
But it’s exactly what Jesus expresses how Christians are different from non-believers. Citizens of the Kingdom don’t fit in; we’re different from the world. The world does everything it can to avoid mourning.
“Blessed are those who mourn over sin”… is precisely what Jesus meant. A spiritual mourning – it’s a mourning unbelievers can’t relate to. True Christians are brokenhearted over sin… first over their own sin, and then over the sins of others. Let’s look at some scripture…
“Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep your law.” Psalm 119: 136
“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong.” 2 Corinthians7: 10-11
When God showed me these verses a while ago, it really helped me “get it.” I can’t explain, but at that moment I just realized that the sorrow I’ve experienced in my life, led me to salvation!! Read those verses again – Sorrow for our sins can result in changed behavior! Many people are sorry only for the effects of their sins or for being caught (sorrow “which lacks repentance”). Compare Peter’s remorse and repentance with Judas’ bitterness and act of suicide. Both denied Christ. One repented and was restored to faith and service; the other took his own life.
Understand, it’s not at all about mourning over our physical loss – but it’s all about mourning over our sins! “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” This is a present comfort, not a comfort in the distant future…
“Oh what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!” Psalm 32: 1-2
-or- the NKJV reads
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.” Psalm 32: 1-2
