Those Who Mourn
Scripture Reading — Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
Life is not always easy. Regardless of how much money we have or how successful we appear to be, each of us has to struggle against the curse of sin, which has poisoned every inch of God’s good creation.
In your life, you may find yourself trying to overcome destructive habits, only to fall right back into your old patterns. You might experience the pain of losing a friend or a family member who dies at a young age. Or maybe as you look at the daily news, you feel overwhelmed by the suffering of people around the world.
These things are uncomfortable to admit, and it’s tempting to use work, or hobbies, or socializing to distract ourselves from life’s many problems.
But Jesus challenges us to confront sin head on, and to let ourselves grieve all of the destruction it has caused. When we understand the depth of our need, and we understand that neither politics nor technology, business, or therapy will fully heal this broken world, comfort is available. Grieving the world’s sin and brokenness leads us to turn to God as our only comfort, trusting in his power to put things back together, since we cannot do that ourselves.
Father, help me to confront the hard realities of life in this troubled world, that I may understand the need for your grace and know the comfort of your promise to make all things new. In Jesus, Amen.
About the author — A.J. Gretz
Anthony Joseph (A.J.) Gretz is a pastor in Grandville, Michigan. He has also served churches in Ohio and in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He and his wife, Anna, have three children.
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