Glad to Be Sad

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4 (ESV)

Do you know that your brokenness can be the greatest doorway to God’s blessing?

Social commentator and comedian Will Rogers was once entertaining at a children’s hospital, filling the hallways and hearts with roaring laughter. But all of a sudden, he left the platform and went to the restroom.

Concerned, a member of the staff followed, and opening the door, found Rogers leaning against the wall sobbing. He quietly closed the door, and after a few minutes, Rogers returned just as funny as before. But we know now that he was doing it with a broken heart.

Matthew 5:4 explains that blessing follows mourning. Of all nine different Greek words used in the New Testament for “mourning,” “crying,” or “being sad,” the translated word used in this verse is by far the strongest. It describes the sadness that goes right into the heart, and the deepest part of the soul.

Why is that important? Jesus says even your deepest sadness can lead to gladness. These are some of the strangest words to come from our Savior’s lips. He says, in effect, “Happy are the unhappy.” We are blessed when we have a broken heart.

Why would Jesus say this? We all want to be happy, and avoid sorrow, pain, heartache, and suffering. But the truth is, we learn more in the valley than we do on the mountaintop. We learn spiritual maturity and a deepening love for Jesus, not in the good times, but in the bad times.

I don’t think Jesus is only talking about when something in your earthly life, your circumstances, breaks your heart. If you love someone with all of your heart, distance from that person is almost physically painful. And have you noticed that when you are deeply in love with a spouse or someone important in your life, you are moved by the things they care about?

Because you love God, let your heart break for the things that break His heart. Sin, which is distance from God, breaks God’s heart. And, because you love God, sin should also make you mourn. It should be this way for you, and me and all believers together.

Once your heart is broken, then let the Holy Spirit remind you that the sin that burdens you, breaking your heart, is forgiven through the Lord Jesus Christ. Through His brokenness on the cross that day, you were blessed. And now, through your brokenness of heart, you receive deepest comfort.

When you mourn, you experience the latter part of this verse. The word used for “comfort” means more than just sympathy. The Greek word for “comfort” is the same word used to describe the Holy Spirit – the Comforter.

The Holy Spirit is the great Comforter in your life. He is always with you, to put His arm around you, love, care for, and help you. The Holy Spirit will remind you that a broken heart is a blessed heart.

Prayer: Father, today I acknowledge the cost of my sin – the very life of Jesus Christ. Help me to mourn over my own sin and to mourn over the sin that breaks the world around me. For I know I will receive comfort. Thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, forever. Because of Jesus, amen.