Matthew 5 - Those Who Mourn

Matthew 5:4 (HCSB) "Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted."

The key to understanding this beatitude is consider what the mourner is mourning. A clearer understanding is found in The Message, "You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you."

I know that almost all of us have experienced the loss of someone special in our lives. The sorrow and what some might describe as devastation that we feel as a result of the loss can be insurmountable at times. You feel a heavy weight and a dark cloud that you don't think will ever disappear.

Have you ever been unjustly accused? The loss of "what is most dear" may be your reputation that is blemished by someone else's accusations that just simply are not true. If the accuser is someone that you love, then the loss is doubled resulting in sorrowful mourning.

However, what if in the light of such situations, you choose not to mourn but rather to be angry and shake your fist at God saying, "How dare you? Why would you do this to me?" When tragedy is accompanied with anger, bitterness is the natural result. And bitterness leads to broken relationships with others and with your Heavenly Father. Remember, whatever your tragedy, God didn't cause it to happen just to punish you for something in your life. Our response to tragedy is a reflection of our spirit and trust in a loving Father.

When we mourn a loss, we also allow ourselves to be comforted both physically and spiritually. The Greek word for comfort is parakaleo which is also translated as encouraged or exhorted. Our Heavenly Father wants to comfort and encourage and exhort us when we are mourning and broken in our spirit. In our weakness, He is strong. But when we choose to act "strong" showing a "stiff upper lip" to those who are closest to us or choosing anger over sorrow, we are also rejecting God's love for us.

Your attitude in your tragedy or distress will determine the spiritual outcome of your mourning. 2 Corinthians 7:10 (The Message), "Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets."

Take refuge in your mourning. God wants to comfort you and shower His love on you. It is your choice whether you allow Him to do that for you.