Mourning Joy

You may think I've made a spelling error in that title. However, this oxymoron is exactly what is on my mind today. The second Beatitude is: "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."  The many times I have read this verse, I have often thought this type of mourning was over loss, death, a deep sadness of something that has happened. These experiences do bring mourning, and God is the ultimate source of comfort.  So, it makes sense (human sense) that that is what Jesus is speaking of.  However, upon further examination of the scriptures, I have again been reminded that God is revealing so much more than our shallow analysis/interpretation of His Word.

As I teach my children, I occasionally get to see that look of understanding. You know that look, that feeling when the light bulb comes on?  I love that feeling!  Not just to see it in my children, but to experience it myself.  To truly understand something for the first time, profound or not, is such a joy to me!  As I have delved into this blessed statement, the light bulb has come on.

As I began my study of the second Beatitude, I was a bit surprised to find myself reading one of my favourite stories in the Bible:  Luke 7:36-50.  As you read it, you will find that this is the story of the (sinful) woman who came to Jesus, weeping and washing His feet with her tears.  The religious crowd questioned (in there thoughts alone!) this woman's actions, and even more so, Jesus allowing this.  Of course, everyone loves the part where Jesus puts those hypocritical Pharisees in there place.  To our shame, we fail to see that we have become the Pharisees.

As I talked this through with the ladies in my Monday night Bible study, it became clear to us how we have become inoculated to the effect of our sin. We know we shouldn't lie, be unkind, say inappropriate things. Yet, it has gotten so easy to tell that half truth, ignore the less-fortunate, laugh at things of this world. One of my ladies said through watery eyes, I want my heart to break over the things that break God's heart. That is true mourning!  Not mourning over the sad things that happen to us (not that we shouldn't mourn over the losses and hurts in our life), but this type of mourning is weeping over the hurt we cause the holy and just God of the universe.  Our sin, the choices we make that are in rebellion against our Creator and should-be God, that is what we should really be mourning over. This is not a one time event, but a continual awareness of what sin is, when we do it, and what to do about it.  Oh, that I would not grow comfortable with that which separates me from my God!

Even more wonderful to me was to see, for the first time, that the order of the Beatitudes is exactly that! Jesus spoke these blessed statements in a specific order.  They build upon one another to give a picture, just like everything else God does!  For you cannot truly mourn your sin until you are truly poor in spirit.  II Corinthians 7:10 says,  "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

Again, my children have helped me understand these two types of sorrow. Have you even heard a kid say 'I'm sorry', but in their mind you knew they also said 'only because I have to be!'  That is worldly sorrow: to only be sorry because you got caught.  Godly sorrow, however, comes from God, from seeing things from God's perspective.  Once we have seen ourselves from God's perspective (to be poor in spirit) we are finally free to mourn over that sin which breaks the heart of God.

Then mourning joy become a reality.  For the truth is that the blessedness doesn't come in the mourning, but as a result of the mourning!  Once we are poor in spirit, we WILL mourn over sin (our sin, the church's sin, the sin of the world), and from that mourning, God will give comfort! What better comfort is there than to know you are forgiven!  I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness."  Then the God of all comfort will wrap His arms around a sorrowful soul, and give the peace that passeth all understanding.  Praise the Lord!

How wonderful to know that God knows what we really need, and if we will humble ourselves, He will do it! Now my desire is for these blessed beatitudes to be a reality in my life.  May we each experience real JOY and peace today as we humble ourselves before our Mighty and Loving God.