DAY 4 | How Mourning Brings Comfort | 21-Day Devotional on Jesus’ Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount | Introduction, Cont.

Matt. 5:4, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 

Typically, we only associate mourning with the death of a loved one. This is the correct meaning of the word, along with “to lament” and “to weep.” Mourning is not limited to death. We also mourn, or show compassion, for any situation that leaves people sad, hurt, or lacking. When we mourn, remember that Jesus wants someone comforted. Comfort is help on every level.

As with all the Beatitudes, Jesus highlighted something in the present, neither looking back nor looking ahead. He also highlighted the importance of a worship relationship with God as well as a service oriented relationship with others. Mourning is founded in caring intensely for the sufferings, the sorrows, and for the needs of others. (Barclay) 

 

The blessing is in bringing comfort to others in finding comfort within yourself––as a by-product of caring. Looking back at the first Beatitude,   we saw that it is always right to be detached from things, but it is never right to be detached from people. Being callous and unconcerned is easy. Caring for people is hard, but nothing else carries a greater reward. Caring is love in action. God is love. When we carry God’s type of love, people are helped and circumstances change..

All Sunshine Makes a Desert

Blessed is the man who has endured the bitterest sorrow that life can bring. The Arabs have a proverb: "All sunshine makes a desert." The land on which the sun always shines will soon become an arid place in which no fruit will grow. There are certain things which only the rains will produce; and certain experiences which only sorrow can beget.” (Barclay)

The essence of being a Christ Follower is caring to the level where we have empathy for people, not just sympathy. It has been said that sympathy is to feel for someone, while empathy is the feel with people. This is not something we naturally can do as humans. It's one of the unique aspects of being made in gods image and likeness, and then even more, to have the heart and mind of Christ.

Mourning produces in us a special kind of kindness toward people. It fosters a compassion that we would not gain without entering into sorrow and mourning. When things go well it is possible to live for years on the surface of things. However, when sorrow comes, we are driven to the deeper things of life. As we mourn, walking with Christ and assisting others, we find a new strength and a unique measure of comfort.

We don’t have to wait for difficult events come upon us causing mourning, through love we can choose to mourn over (be concerned about) others. Again, this leads to comfort for others and for yourself.

Reflection question: 

For what or whom can you mourn that will cause compassion to rise in you leading to action and comfort? Be specific,