Jesus tells us about the twofold blessing that mourners receive: they are blessed, and they receive comfort. The word "blessed" as we have noted is makarios, which means happy, but also much more; it means content, joyful, and a fulfilled existence. One writer put it this way: "Happy are the sad." (MacArthur,
The Beatitudes: The Only Way to Happiness, p. 71)
The blessed one is the one who mourns, but many miss this. They cannot humble themselves and recognize their great need. Many will wait until the pain exceeds the fear of change, and then they will begin to mourn and embark on the journey of hope and healing.
God wants to lavish upon us a cornucopia of graces and unleash a holy flood on our barren souls, but He will not force Himself on us; He waits until we come to Him. Jesus said in
Matthew 11:28,
"Come to me... and I will give you rest." God wants you to come as you are. Confess, mourn, humble yourself, and the healing will begin.
Also, Jesus said the mourners would be comforted. That is a wonderful Greek word,
parakaleo, which means to call alongside, to console, comfort, strengthen, and encourage. (MacArthur, p. 84) It is a future passive indicative verb; it happens in future time, only after one mourns in present time.
Let me encourage you who are reading this devotional today to see your sin as God sees it. Lay aside your blame game and your stubborn pride; admit that you need God and that you cannot make it on your own. That is a huge first step. This mourning over sin and godly sorrow lead to repentance, a turning away from sin, and receiving the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, who paid the price for your sin. He gives the repentant heart the comfort of forgiveness.
Others need to mourn over sins committed against them and extend forgiveness to those who harmed you. If you refuse to extend forgiveness to those who have committed crimes against you, you cannot live in freedom and peace. In
Life's Healing Choices, p. 55-61, John Baker, tells the story of a woman named Mary, and it broke my heart to read of the painful abuses she underwent. As an adult, her life was a mess. But she cried out to God and decided to visit what she called "the large church right down the street." She heard Rick Warren preach, gave her life to Christ, and was baptized. She also enrolled in the Celebrate Recovery classes and became a new person in Christ. She said, "God showed me that becoming a whole person meant apologizing from my heart to all those I had hurt and forgiving all who had hurt me. I learned that every day I need to put all my anxieties, frustrations, and hurt in God's capable hands."
Will you do the same today? Mourn and then receive Christ's comfort. Forgive, and be forgiven. Put your hurts and anxieties in Jesus' capable hands.
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