Treasure Digest: "Blessed Are Those Who Mourn"

Christ’s statement in Matthew 5:4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
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Christ’s statement in Matthew 5:4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
See All... seems contradictory. How can those who mourn be happy? But God’s way of life does produce joy (Psalm 16:11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
See All...; Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
See All...). Mourning can be a blessing because:

• It causes us to think more soberly about life (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4 [2] It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
  [3] Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
  [4] The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
  
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• It keeps us from becoming complacent (Deuteronomy 8:11-18 [11] Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
  [12] Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
  [13] And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
  [14] Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
  [15] Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
  [16] Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
  [17] And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
  [18] But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
  
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• It helps us to have compassion for others, as Christ did (Hebrews 5:7-9 [7] Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
  [8] Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
  [9] And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
  
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There are three situations where we should mourn:

• When we see the suffering of others (Ezekiel 9:4And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
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• When God’s Spirit convicts us of sin (James 4:8-10 [8] Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
  [9] Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
  [10] Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
  
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• When we suffer persecution.

Christ finished His statement by promising comfort to those who mourn (Matthew 5:4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
See All...). God provides this comfort in many ways:

• Through the Bible (Romans 15:4For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
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• By David’s example (Psalm 34:4-7 [4] I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
  [5] They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
  [6] This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
  [7] The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
  
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• Through prayer (Philippians 4:6-7).
• By reassuring us we are not alone in our trials.
• By His promise not to tempt us beyond what we are able (1 Corinthians 10:13There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
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• By reassuring us that He is on our side (Romans 8:31-39 [31] What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
  [32] He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
  [33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
  [34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
  [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
  [36] As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
  [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
  [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
  [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
  
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• Through the hope of the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 [13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
  [14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
  
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• Through one another.
• By reassuring us that He is able to save us (Jude 24-25).
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Ultimately there will be no more mourning. "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 21:4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
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— (Excerpted from a sermon by Richard Pinelli May 24, 2003, in Cincinnati East, Ohio.)