Tuesday | Matthew 5:4

Those Who Mourn | Matthew 5:4

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” 

The season of social distancing has certainly brought forth many challenges for our city and neighborhoods. For many the challenge of adjustment has been difficult. While change may be a necessity and a constant, it doesn’t mean it is always easy. 

In today’s beatitude, Jesus links comfort to mourning. And to continue to press into our discomfort of the season, Jesus does so by drawing us to Himself with comfort. Throughout the pages of scripture, we read of a great deal of mourning whether it is for someone else, injustice, or confusion. Additionally, for the Christian, mourning is also attributed to our sin; to our spiritual condition.

It is easy and perhaps, at times, dismissive, for us to mourn other things for the sake of not addressing our own heart condition and sin. Certainly, there are times for mourning that are outside of us (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), but our Christ in this beatitude is speaking to us individually about our hearts.

The truth is that the road to comfort in Christ is often paved with brokenness and tears, but it is here that Christ draws us closer to Himself, providing comfort. If we, again, look to the pages of Scripture, we may be encouraged by individuals such as the apostle Peter who denied Jesus three times and wept bitterly at what he had done. Yet, our Lord Jesus later restores Peter publicly (John 20:15-17).

The result of comfort is grace. The question, however, is are we mourning in an effort to draw closer to Christ in comfort and the promise of His word?