Mourning

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Jesus immediately followed up the first beattitude with this statement about mourning. Perhaps there is a connection between mourning and realising our poverty of spirit.

Who is blessed in this verse ?
- those who mourn.

The specific language used in this verse includes the strongest word for mourning.
Pentos - most severe, deepest heartfelt grief, grief which cannot be hidden, uncontrollable.

This verse is written in the present tense. It is to be a continual part of the believers life, a continuous experience,
" they shall be comforted " - future, everytime you mourn you will be comforted.

So what is it l am to mourn over ?
The sin in my life.

James 4v 6- 10
As the scriptures say, " God opposes the proud but favours the humble "
Submit yourselves , then , to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your heart's, you double - minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.

How am I to humble myself before God ?
- submit, - lay down, yield,recognise God's authority. Look at Him.
- resist the devil ( repel, stand firm )
- draw near to God- allow my heart to be softened , He will draw near to me taking me back to what Jesus has done for me.
- cleanse your hands - stop certain behaviours
- purify your heart's - internal cleansing, ie thoughts, motives, desires of the heart.
- double - minded ( someone who on one hand desires to be near to and to please God but on the other hand he loves the world and all that it offers )

What should be my response to sin ?
Grieve, mourn over it, and turn from it.

Remorse is not Gospel mourning.

If I respond correctly to sin, what will God do ?
- they shall be comforted . The Greek word for ' comforted ' , used here is , ' paracleet ', which means to call to one side to help someone. Jesus will send the Holy Spirit. I will not be able to find comfort myself, it is received from an outside force , the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1v 15,16
But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the scriptures say, " You must be holy because I am holy ".

Holiness is the standard but how can I possibly reach that? Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are the ones who realise they just don't have it in them to be holy , because they are the ones who God comforts and helps.

The natural response to sin is to ignore it or to justify it. The supernatural response to sin, the response prompted by the Holy Spirit, is to mourn over it , and then we shall be comforted.