What does it mean “Blessed are those who mourn” as it is written in Matthew 5:4?
When Jesus stated that, what did He mean? Can mourning really lead to comfort and real joy?
The acknowledgement of our own weakness compared to God’s Greatness and our dependence on Him, is the first Beatitude – being poor in spirit.
Read more: “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God”
Let’s take a closer look at the second Beatitude “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted“, to discover exactly what Jesus meant.
It’s inevitable that in a such sad world like ours, where sorrow, grief, and mourning are part of our daily existence, we experience deep pain and we shed tears.
Our hearts are touched to the deepest chambers in those moments, and our souls suffer agony.
We doubt ourselves, our faith, and our Christian life.
Some arrows might strike our hearts, causing us to be devastated for a long time. The sensitivity of the heart is at the highest level as we feel we’re drowning at the bottom of the sea.
Many situations can happen in one’s life. We are not immune to bad things.
Sometimes reality hits us so hard that all we can do is cry out to God.
Jesus understands tears as prayers.
He sees the bleeding heart and hears our whispers and thoughts.
Even when we cannot say a word, He is there with us. Holding us tight in His Loving Arms.
Jesus knows what grief means.
He mourned for Lazarus whom He dearly loved (John11:33-36).
He was deeply moved by the widow who lost her only son (Luke 7:12-13).
He experienced deep agony when He cried “‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’” – “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”(Matthew 27:46, Psalm 22:1), right before He proclaimed It is finished!
He knows what death tastes like.
He tasted it, for the redemption of our sins when He was carried out on the cross in our place, so when we will experience deep grief and unbearable pain, He will be right there with us, not leaving us alone, taking the burden on Him, and carrying us in His arms. Showing us that HE KNOWS, HE UNDERSTANDS, HE IS RIGHT THERE in the deepest place to help us, by raising us from the depths of sufferings.
He is right there with us, in the midst of all, because He cares for us.
He wants to soften the pain by taking it upon Him.
Jesus went through crucifixion so that you and I would know He is with us and understands how much it hurts.
To Have Compassion On Others
When we understand how much particular events or individuals may hurt, and when we have experienced sadness, sorrow, loss, trauma, or any other painful scenario, we can help others as well, after our own recovery.
“Mourn with those who are mourning” is only possible when those of us who have gone through similar emotions can comfort and understand others.
We will know how to say the right words at the right time to the right person because we know pain.
When our hardships and difficult experiences may help others, it brings us delight, for there is so much beauty when we reach out to someone, by giving them a hand.
That’s why we need the Holy Spirit so much! With His help we can do anything!
The Godly Sorrow And Repentance
When the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, we feel godly sorrow, which leads to a broken heart and cry out to God, and repentance for our iniquities.
We realize that the force of our sins, can’t be broken unless we ask for forgiveness from God so that He might release us from the bondage.
The way King David cried out to God was the most touching: “Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; let Your loving kindness and Your truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart fails me” (Psalm 40:11-12)
The repentance for our sins leads to real change, and the result of it is closeness to God, which leads to moments of rejoicing: “In the Presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11)
For they shall be comforted
This is a promise, a blessed assurance.
When we are grieving, God’s purpose is greater than our anxieties.
God’s intention is for us to be healed and to use our wounds to benefit others.
God’s plan is bigger than anything we can imagine, even if we can’t see it right now.
God has the ability to turn our mess into a powerful message.
What I am trying to say is that for everything there is a solution found in Christ Jesus.
For the mourning there is a comfort.
For the grief there is a hope.
For the sorrow there is an encouragement.
For the godly sorrow and repentance – there is forgiveness and eternal life.
Where there is death – there is a resurrection.
Because, remember, until something good hasn’t happened, it ain’t over!
This is demonstrated by Jesus. What it seemed to be the most humiliated and abused method of execution, He proved it otherwise.
His sacrifice is the perfect one for those who will call upon His Name, and His victory marked the history. He made a spectacle out of the evil one, when on the third day the same crucified Jesus rose from the dead in such a glory that the world has never seen before (Revelation 13:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Jesus won the victory FOR US. That victory is the comfort and the solution to our troubles.
As Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah was anointed “to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:2-3).
Therefore, in Christ Jesus there is comfort for He is the Source of everything we need.
The Worldview On Mourning
Some of us had to cope with bullies, domestic violence, or emotional abuse as children, where the pain was a part of our daily lives. Some, have experienced being mocked with the words “weak” just because they cried. Others, had zero support from anyone to help them understand emotions and be self-compassionate when they were hurt, upset and wanted to cry.
As a result of circumstances and immature people around them, some, have grown being more sensitive and vulnerable than others.
We grew up believing that mourning or expressing our emotions through tears was horrible thing.
As a matter of fact, it was considered as a weakness.
That’s where the difference comes in understanding the worldview of mourning vs God’s view of mourning.
Tears and grief are seen as major flaws in the world. Emotional people are labeled as “the weaker ones”, because, the world tends to follow stronger examples as leaders who never cry but only fight!
Do you see a problem with that statement? Yeah, that’s the false picture right there.
Actually, that’s the delusion, or let me say the fantasy of their own because there isn’t a single person on this planet, who hasn’t grieved, who hasn’t sobbed at some point in their life.
I’ve learned throughout the years that people who cry tend to BE the strongest!
Because they are true to themselves. And that’s what matters!
When pain kicks at the door and suffering enters the heart, mourning is the only filter to get the emotions out so that you might heal from the wounds.
God created tears because He knew how much we would need them, ain’t that right?
It’s a way of expressing the deepest parts of your heart. That’s what makes tears unique!
Words couldn’t describe the pain, but tears can!
The world can zip the emotions up, and try to push them down under the carpet, but sooner or later it will come out in a burst of such diseases that one might be stopped at the middle of their life race, and make the hugest pause they have ever experienced, all the way from childhood.
That’s why it is important, to be honest with yourself, and not listen to others when it comes to your emotions and well-being.
There is beauty in the way your tears shine, there is art in the way they crawl on your cheeks, there are melodies in the rhythm they fall – there are stars in it describing the softness of your heart.
I also understood that the ones who haven’t been able to let themselves feel the pain they experienced in certain moments in their lives, especially in childhood, tend to be the coldest and most emotionally immature when it comes to relationships with others.
The way they behave toward themselves is the way how they will behave toward others.
That lack of emotional growth, can bring them to neglect those who are suffering because they don’t have solutions for it themselves.
It’s because they are afraid to show the brokenness of their hearts, which, therefore, leads to a lack of sensitivity and compassion for understanding other individuals, and the absurd ignoring to the sufferings of others.
You have to understand – it’s okay to be human.
It’s very much okay, if you let yourself feel that pain and lay it all out through your precious tears.
It’s okay to believe that you have a loving, sensitive heart and that YOU MATTER.
If the world has convinced you that you don’t matter, remember that this is their perspective, not God’s.
For you are worthy of the life of Jesus Christ, the One and Only Begotten Son of God.
God’s View On Mourning
Many biblical heroes cried, the most notable of whom was Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:3, John 11:35).
Tears can show a soft, tender and caring heart, that hurts with others, and knows pain.
Know that God sees the heart. He knows how we feel.
The heart can pray with words not spoken out loud but entangled in pain, sorrow and tears, which can rise up to the sky and come before the throne of God.
It moves and it touches the deepest parts of God, because He can hear the sound of our wounded hearts, echoed in the sounds of mourn and tears.
To God mourning is sacred. When His children cry out, His love rushes to their aid.
To give them peace. To comfort their soul. To embrace them in His Loving Arms and warm them saying “You are not alone”.
He is Always gonna be there for you!
Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5)
For God’s plan for you, will prevail in the end.
That means mourning will not be the end, but joy in Christ Jesus (Galatians 5:22)
Continue to hope and believe in His unfailing Love, as He carries you till the end.
Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy (Psalm 126:5)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Read more: “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth”
