Blessed Are Those Who Mourn: Finding Divine Comfort in Matthew 5:4
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In our daily meditations, we reflect on Jesus' teachings from the Galilean hills, especially The Sermon on the Mount. Yesterday, we focused on Jesus’ statement, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). This sense of spiritual poverty should prompt us to mourn any attitude within us that does not align with the Lord Jesus.
The Meaning of Spiritual Poverty and Mourning
If we truly find ourselves in a state of spiritual bankruptcy, the next step is to embrace our emotions, which will help us mourn what has displeased God. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matthew 5:4), indicating that we should release the burdens weighing us down. As the Book of Psalms advises, “Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22). Instead of rationalizing our actions, we should develop a strong aversion to anything selfish and displeasing to God. Be honest and vulnerable before the Lord, knowing that He is fully aware of our deeds and motives. Nothing remains hidden from Him (Hebrews 4:13).
Understanding Pentheo: Why God Blesses Our Tears
The Greek word translated as “mourn” is pentheo; it means to grieve and experience heartache, often leading to tears. Mourning is regarded as blessed by God when it prompts a change of heart in us, usually after we feel the pain caused by sin, whether to ourselves or to others. The Lord empathizes with our pain and witnesses our tears. When we are moved to tears by pain, God intervenes to comfort us through the Comforter's presence. In verse 4, the word comfort is the verbal form of parakletos, the name Jesus gave to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). Different English translations of the original Greek word include Comforter (KJV), Counselor (NIV), Advocate (NEB), and Helper (ESV).
Paracletos: The God Who Walks Beside Us
Paracletos is a difficult word to translate because it means "one called alongside us." The Lord comes alongside us when we mourn. He feels what we feel, sympathizes with our weaknesses, and shares in our pain (Hebrews 4:15). When Jesus confronted Saul, who became the apostle Paul, on the Damascus Road, the Lord said to him, "Why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4). Jesus Himself was not being persecuted, but He felt the pain of His people being persecuted by Saul. The pain we endure touches the heart of our God and is precious to Him. Even when tears are absent, God responds to the attitude of the heart. The Scripture says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
Mourning for a Broken World
Another thing to mourn is the world’s disobedience to God and the evil that surrounds us in this life. One need only watch or listen to the news today to witness the great suffering of humanity and God's creation. A true believer longs for the restoration of God’s creation. When we mourn the condition of this present world, we feel God's heart for humanity and look forward to the time when the Kingdom of God will be fully manifested. To mourn, we must understand the impact of sin. It separates us from God. Sin tramples God’s laws and ways and robs us of the joy of God’s presence.
Why We Must Not Ignore Godly Sorrow
Today, many teachers and church leaders tend to emphasize only positive aspects and minimize the importance of mourning or true sorrow. However, if you are connected to God’s heart, you will desire His ways to be shown and for others to find restoration in their relationship with Him. If this desire is lacking, pray for God to soften your heart. When sin in your life doesn't grieve you, ask God to reveal His heart and soften you. On earth, we will never be entirely free from sorrow over sin. Essentially, mourning involves feeling sadness over loss and longing for what is yet to come. Let us pray that God reveals to us the cost He paid to cleanse us and grant us the joy of salvation.
How to Apply This Today: A 3-Step Practice
1. The Heart Audit: Take five minutes of silence. Ask the Holy Spirit, "Is there anything in my life—an attitude or a habit—that grieves Your heart?" Don't rush to defend yourself; simply listen.
2. Invite the Paracletos: If you are carrying a burden or a secret sorrow, visualize Jesus walking "alongside" you (the literal meaning of Paracletos). Verbally tell Him, "I cannot carry this alone; I invite Your comfort into this pain."
3. Pray for the World: Pick one headline from the news that bothers you. Instead of feeling frustrated, turn that feeling into a "mourning prayer," asking for God’s Kingdom to be manifested in that specific situation. Keith Thomas
The Beatitudes teaching video is available at the following link:
Continue Your Journey…
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