Holy Bible Online 
Moments of sorrow are inevitable in the life of every Christian. When tears and sadness come, God can bring comfort. In the passage of the Beatitudes, in Matthew 5:4, Jesus blesses those who mourn and promises comfort.
To mourn means to feel and express deep grief, whether for loss, pain, or even sin. Mourning in the biblical sense is more than sadness, it is a cry of the heart that turns to God for help, healing, and hope.
We are not blessed simply because we cry, but because we do not hide our feelings from God. The kind of mourning mentioned in the Bible is not fake or complaining tears, but tears of true suffering. Many things can make us cry, and sometimes tears are unavoidable. It is in these moments that God wants to be present.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
- Matthew 5:4
In the first century, mourning was not something hidden or private as we often see today. It was visible, public, and often expressed with wailing, ashes, or torn garments.
When Jesus said “Blessed are those who mourn,” He was speaking to people who knew grief well: they lived under Roman occupation, faced poverty, sickness, and loss, and often longed for God to act and bring justice. Mourning also carried a spiritual sense, connected with grieving over sin and the brokenness of the world.
What Being Blessed When You Mourn Means For Us Today
Jesus’ promise in Matthew 5:4 is surprising. In the world’s eyes, those who mourn are pitied, not blessed. Yet in God’s kingdom, blessing is not about having a life free of pain, but about experiencing His presence and comfort in the middle of it.
For today, this means that mourning is not the absence of blessing, but the place where blessing meets us. You may feel weak, but God’s strength surrounds you. You may feel broken, but God draws closest to the brokenhearted. The “good life” Jesus offers is not built on circumstances, but on His faithful love that sustains us through every trial.
Mourning also makes space for God to do what nothing else can. In tears, our hearts soften, our pride falls away, and we discover His peace more deeply. Mourning becomes a doorway to intimacy with God, where His Spirit whispers comfort and His promises come alive in ways they never could in easy times.
This is why Jesus could say you are blessed. Because when the world sees only loss, heaven is pouring out healing. When sorrow seems overwhelming, God is already preparing joy. And when we mourn, we stand in the very place where Christ Himself meets us, reminding us that sorrow is temporary, but His comfort is eternal.
How to Mourn Well
Speak to God about your sorrow. Share your longing with Him. Friends may comfort us, but only Christ can truly hear our cry and soothe our hearts. Many things can bring tears, but only God can restore our joy.
This comfort is not just a warm feeling. It is the assurance that God is near to the brokenhearted, that He will restore what was lost, and that His kingdom brings justice and healing. To mourn in faith is to believe that sorrow does not have the final word.
Tears may fall, but Christ will wipe them away, giving you understanding and hope.
For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
- Psalm 30:5
We will go through hard times in this life, but Jesus is with us, even in the darkest moments. With Christ, sorrow is temporary, not a permanent place.
He endured all the pain the world could offer and turned that suffering into great joy by offering us eternal life. That is permanent. All other things, even tears, will pass with Christ.
For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
- 1 Peter 2:19–24
Let Jesus wipe away your tears. In Him you will always find new strength, new comfort, and new reasons to smile.
See also: