“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” Matt. 5:4 (ESV). This is the second beatitude from the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus continues his technique of reversing the natural order. He promises his followers that the ones who mourn will not remain empty from their loss. Instead, the ones who mourn will be blessed by God because He will comfort them. We all have times of mourning, whether it is the loss of a friend, a loss of opportunity, a loss of health, or a loss of something else important to us. In such times it is healthy to mourn.
Remember that Jesus did not say his disciples shouldn’t mourn. Sometimes teachers give the impression that we should always be joyful and thanking God without times of mourning. But this is not biblical. Romans 12:15 teaches us to “mourn with those who mourn” (NIV). So not only is it okay to mourn but Christians should mourn with others who are in mourning! Even though we always have joy inside we can also mourn at the same time. Paul said he was “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (2 Cor. 6:10, NIV).
And God encourages us that mourning does not lead to despair rather He will comfort us. Does this refer to comfort in this life or in the next age? Both. His comfort begins now and shall be comforted fully in the next age. His restoration, love and promises strengthen us now and we will experience them fully in the next age. Jesus gave a vivid illustration of this in one of his parables. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Hades, Abraham tells the rich man “Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish” Luke 16:25 (ESV).
