Life’s Deep Pains
What it teaches.
Try to imagine you are hearing this for the first time.
The fortunate ones in this crowd are those who can express deep pain over disappointments and losses, because they have set themselves up to be restored.
Matthew 5:4 (my paraphrase)
What???
It’s good to be sad?
Actually, he isn’t the first to say this.
Take a look at this passage:
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Ecclesiastes 7:2-4
Life is filled with losses.
Yes, this certainly, and probably most poignantly involves the death of loved ones and even strangers in tragic ways, but it also involves not being picked for the team at school.
It’s about broken hearts and the growing awareness that some dreams may never materialize.
It includes disabilities, loneliness, isolation, and divorce.
It includes regrets that we can never fix.
The list seems endless.
So, is Jesus being cruel or naïve?
How can he say such a thing and really mean it?
For one thing I believe his list of blessings (also known as the Beatitudes) have an order and are cumulative.
This means we know about the Kingdom of Heaven being right here and now from the previous statement.
We have access to it and it will follow us all the days of our lives.
And in this kingdom, there is a king.
A better king than we are, even to ourselves.
And this king sits on a throne of authority and dominion over all who willingly wish to be his subjects – those too poor to save themselves.
So what does this second pronouncement really mean?
Our tears won’t last forever.
When we can admit honestly where we are, even in the Pit of Despond, good things will happen.
I know, it’s counterintuitive.
So, what makes you sad?
Name the loss.
The broken heart.
The loss of life, trust, time, function, mobility, and health.
But as you list them, also note that not all sadness qualifies.
That’s because some sadness is anger in disguise.
Of course, when we can recognize this, and truly become sad about our anger problem, then comfort naturally flows our way once again.
To me, when looking at a more accurate translation of Matthew 5:4 like this one from the English Standard Version
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
the key word is shall, not might.
Bank on it.
How will it come about?
It doesn’t say.
I sense that it comes through in many ways both directly and indirectly from God Himself — and it comes every day.
It is new every morning.
I think we live the richest of lives when we are able to experience both the depths and heights of true living while knowing, we shall always be comforted.
