How can those who mourn possibly receive a blessing, or favour, from God?

Yet this is what Jesus promised in Matthew 5:4, which says: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Shared during His very first sermon on earth, known as the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5-7), this promise is one of eight blessings—the Beatitudes—that are available to those who love God and follow the ways of Jesus.

Far From Home

In Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, the terms for “mourn” and “comfort” have various shades of meaning. To mourn can mean a deep ache of sorrow for someone who’s no longer in our lives. And it can also mean a feeling of confusion and anxiety, such as we experience when we’re lost in an unfamiliar city or a new experience that makes us feel helpless.

There’s a third way to mourn that Jesus often emphasized, the attitude of grieving over our sin that leads us to repent. This kind of mourning goes deep. We don’t merely say, “Sorry,” like a child whose mother forces him or her to apologize after misbehaving. We feel a separation from God due to an ugly attitude or act of rebellion. That feeling leads us to make a change. To come back to the only One who can help us lead a blessed life: Jesus.

Of course, God is willing to love us and restore us before we repent. But we won’t receive the blessing of His comfort until we repent. And just as it’s not healthy to wallow in grief over a loved one who’s gone, it’s also unhealthy to mourn over past sins that we’ve repented of. God has promised to forgive and cleanse us. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We can lead free, happy lives when we receive that comfort from Him.

God’s Word, the Bible, is also a powerful tool for comfort and strength when we experience loss. JEANETTE LEVELLIE

Hugs From Heaven

What other ways does God comfort us when we mourn?

The Lord sends caring people to show us His comfort in tangible ways. When my brother died suddenly, our friends invited my husband and me over for supper and a mini concert of praise songs. That food and music lifted my soul more than trite words from dozens of friends or hundreds of sympathy cards. When we mourn for any reason, those who merely sit with us, help us with overwhelming tasks or ask helpful questions without giving unasked-for advice feel like hugs from heaven. We know God values and treasures us when we receive love from others.

God’s Word, the Bible, is also a powerful tool for comfort and strength when we experience loss. From Psalms of hope to Proverbs of guidance to the words of Jesus and His original followers, the Bible contains the life of God meant to bring light into our darkness.

Immediate forgiveness. Loving people. Words of life. God never runs out of hugs—the thousand ways He comforts those who mourn.

This is the second article in our series on the Beatitudes, key teachings from the Sermon on the Mount (see Matthew 5-7), Jesus’ first sermon during His earthly ministry. Read the first article at salvationist.ca/blessedpoor. 

Photo: Delmaine Donson/peopleimages.com/stock.Adobe.com

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