"Blessed Are Those Who Mourn..."

Continuing in Matthew 5 we read in verse 4:

Matthew 5:4 NIV

[4]  Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

From my last blog entry, we learned that "blessed" means happy. 

So how can we be happy when we "mourn?" What does that mean?

In this context, "mourn" means to repent, be repentant, or be contrite, or have contrition.

You might be thinking, "Uh...Jeff that doesn't help at all." Well, let me unpack those terms before we move on. 

Repentant- means feeling sorrow for a wrong one has done.

Contrite- means feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for improper or objectionable behavior, actions, etc.

In my reference Bible, repentance means to have a change of heart and mind from sin toward God.

In a nut shell this means to turn from sin, or a sinful lifestyle, and turn to God. Stop living in sin and live for God. Then this will make us happy and then God will comfort us.

He will never leave us or forsake us. He will always guide us by the Holy Spirit inside us. He will always love us. He will teach us and show us how to live by the Holy Spirit inside us. He will always be merciful to us. He will always be faithful to us. His grace will always be enough for us in whatever we face each day. He will always protect us and keep us in His care.

In this verse, Jesus is telling us that we will be happy when we turn from a worldly, sinful lifestyle and turn to God. Then we'll be comforted. When you turn to Him, He'll never let you down. 

Nothing in the world, sin or otherwise, brings happiness like God does. He brings lasting happiness that things on the Earth just does not. So turn away from all these things, and turn to God to find true and lasting happiness. If you are not a Christian, be born again today. How? Read my blog entry "Do You Have The Gift?" Turn from a sinful, worldly lifestyle and turn to God and you'll find real, lasting happiness and comfort.

Psalms 34:18-19 NIV

[18] The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. [19] The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;

Psalms 51:17 NIV

[17] My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Isaiah 57:15 NIV

[15] For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Isaiah 66:2 NIV

[2] Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.

Isaiah 55:6-7 NIV

[6] Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. [7] Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Ezekiel 18:21-23 NIV

[21] “But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. [22] None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. [23] Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

Acts 2:38 NIV

[38] Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Acts 3:19 NIV

[19] Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 

Simply? Turn from sin and turn to God, and He will comfort you.

Again, if you are not a Christian, please read my previous blog entry, "Do You Have This Gift?" So you can be born again!!

Love you all dear readers,

Jeffrey Post