Times of grief and mourning rarely make it on our list of blessed activities. We much prefer the
lighter side of life that flows as smoothly and easily as water in a brook. But Jesus actually tells us
that mourners are blessed (Matthew 5:4). In the Beatitudes, Jesus introduces us to the paradoxical
nature of Kingdom life.
I think there are at least a couple of insights we can gain from this Beatitude. First, mourning is a
natural part of Kingdom life. It should be expected. It should not surprise us when it comes.
Second, Jesus is promising us that He will be present to comfort us when we experience mourning
in the course of our walk in the Kingdom.
But why is mourning a natural part of Kingdom life? One reason I think is that it is evidence of a
heart that is being aligned with God’s heart. The things that God loves, we love; and the things
that bring God pain also bring us pain. One way this is seen is in our mourning for our own sin.
When we mourn our own sin, we go further than simply confess the reality of it; rather we are beginning to hurt for the pain it brings Jesus. He promises to comfort us in this hurting. Another way our heart is aligned with His is when we hurt for other hurting people. When other people pass through difficult moments, we need not fear hurting with them … Jesus promises to comfort us.
I believe another reason that Kingdom life is accustomed to mourning is because, in Kingdom life, we make ourselves vulnerable in loving relationships. All of us humans are imperfect, so we all hurt others and get hurt by others. This causes us to mourn, to feel sorrow, to feel pain. A natural reaction to this pain is to protect ourselves from it by not being vulnerable in relationships. But Kingdom life provides no such provision for self-protection, rather it comes with a promise of comfort from the One who leads the way in this self-giving vulnerability called love.
– Deryk Pritchard, Preacher