Matthew 5.4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
In our “reasonable” and “logical” minds, it is not blessed to mourn. Not according to the “be happy” mindset of these days. But once again, the way God defines things is far different than the base and fractured definitions of the philosophers of this fallen and broken world system. In God’s eyes, the blessed and happy person we should envy is the sinner who mourns over his or her own sin. The hideous nature of it. The incredible hurt and pain caused by it. The too hard to bear reality of the fact that my sin put Jesus Christ on the cross. The mourning of the child of God is not to be mistaken with the sorrow of the world. The mourning of the child of God is a sorrow over sin against God, producing repentance and zeal for the Lord.
The unregenerate find ways to excuse their sins or explain them away. But when the time comes to “pay the piper” for the consequences of their sin, their only regret is that they got caught. Paul makes this important distinction between godly and worldly mourning or sorrow this way. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. It is those who mourn for sin that God comforts.
God will heal the brokenhearted sinner. He will replace that mourning with comfort and assurance. That is the message of the grace of Christ in the gospel. Jesus didn’t come into the world to condemn sinners, but to save them. And when God’s Spirit of grace opens ones eyes to see the reality of their sin, that broken heart is quickly sealed with The Comforter Himself, The Holy Ghost. Mourning and comfort are the children’s bread. The source of this mourning and comfort are the unconditional grace and mercy of God, in through His Son, Jesus Christ.
