Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”.
This isn’t referring to any type of mourning or tears. For II Corinthians 7:10 speaks of worldly sorrow bringing death. That is one not leading to repentance. This is in the spiritual realm. This is tied to the previous verse which is blessed are the poor in spirit. That brings sorrow. We see our wretched state which brings mourning. This drives us to God for help and forgiveness.
We aren’t to live there, but we should see this reality from time to time. It lets us see the great price Jesus paid. Communion should be taken regularly; many churches do it monthly. This does this exact thing. We see our sin as that which moved Jesus to give His body and His blood.
Revelation 2:5 also speaks of remembering, “Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” This was a church that had lost its first love. They have drifted from being poor in spirit. If we know of our poverty of spirit, we don’t leave our first love. Luke 18:13 gives an example of how one who is poor in spirit behaves, “But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’” That is the mourning that is blessed.
Lord, help us to like that one. How do we stay in the state of this blessedness. Keep walking with Christ. We bump into our sinful self often. Don’t toss it off. Correct, we are forgiven and aren’t to wallow in it. But we should go through the communion thought process and confess and give thanks for Jesus’ sacrifice. It should never get old. If so, we aren’t doing it right.
I’m trying to slow myself down and go through the process now. My desire to have my own way is sinful. It’s hurtful to others in that we are putting them off by getting our way. Sometimes it’s fine, but other times it’s hurtful. Do we see their hurt? Do we see that they aren’t seen? Go there.
Lord, help us to see others and how our behavior can be hurtful. Help us to see what’s You’ve done for us. Help us to mourn.