When Mourning Comes

 The suffering of the world is streamed into our TVs, smart phones and iPads every day.  It is global, affecting every nation, people and culture.  We see it on a large scale in the wars in Ukraine and Iran, earthquakes in Colombia and Venezuela, flooding in Shanghai and Wenzhou, China.  Natural disasters leave suffering, sorrow and mourning in their wake. We mourn for loved ones who fall victim to terminal illness and accidental death.

 Jesus acknowledged this reality of human existence when he said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

 How would we know comfort if we never knew sorrow?  Our suffering opens up our understanding of God.  He who never sorrows lives life in the shallows.  We only drink from the depths of God when we have suffered and mourned. God will not leave you comfortless.  No tear ever escapes your eye that does no run its course through the heart of God.

 “Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God. … A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness …  Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs.  And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.”  (Isaiah 40).

 He who comforts us wants us to comfort one another. “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God,” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Our own suffering enables us to comfort others who are experiencing a similar loss.

 Sorrow and mourning will come to us all.  Most children first experience it in the death of a pet. They are inconsolable until gathered in the arms of their mother or father and comforted.  As we age, we will suffer the loss of parents, brothers, sisters, our spouse and friends.  Weeping will come. Mourning will come.  We never fully forget, and don’t want to forget those whom we have loved.  We learn to live with the loss through the comfort we find in others and in God’s promises. The greatest of His promises is eternal life.

 The Apostle Paul wrote, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus,” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

 If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you will find a comfort in your sorrow that the world cannot provide.  He will never leave you nor forsake you.

This is the second in an eight part series on the Beatitudes.