For They Shall Be Comforted
Scripture often contains statements that are counterintuitive to how we think in our human nature. For example:
Life begins when we die (Philippians 1:21).
We are called to do good to those who sin against us (Matthew 5:44).
Salvation is not of works, but of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
God does not see things as we do (Isaiah 55:8-9). And when we understand how these promises and commands benefit us as Christians, perhaps our perspective will shift from one of possible bewilderment to one of humble gratitude toward God.
The Beatitudes
One key place we find these paradoxical statements and promises is in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. The Beatitudes are nine statements starting with “Blessed…”, followed by a trial, and ending with promises related to that trial.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:3-12).
Those Who Mourn
As I have recently been meditating on the Beatitudes, this one stood out to me: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). Ironically, I learned the word “blessed” can also mean “happy.” So, those who mourn are happy because they will be comforted.
We have all been through seasons of intense grief and loss—whether the loss of family, friends, community, etc. In these seasons, we can often feel immense loneliness, and there is a real mourning that goes along with it. Jesus was not immune from loss as his disciples abandoned him at Gethsemane and God the Father turned his back to Jesus on the cross. No wonder Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?”
How comforting that as we go through seasons of grief, Jesus can be a faithful High Priest and bear this burden with us! He is our comfort and this is exactly what He promises in Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
On the idea of suffering and Jesus as our faithful High Priest, Jay Adams writes, “You are not alone. You have a sympathetic High Priest who can enter into all your problems, for they have been His problems too (Hebrews 4:15). He knows your heartache. He knows your sorrow. He knows your pain. He knows!”
Jesus promises comfort for those who mourn. This is not a half-hearted promise or a “I-might-follow-through” statement. It is a guarantee. In our mourning, in our suffering, Jesus is there as our great and faithful High Priest, and he promises to comfort us.
Go to Jesus with your mourning and prepare to be comforted by your Lord.
Brittany Proffitt lives in Dallas and is a writer and content manager for So We Speak.
