Daily Devotion

 With Pastor Ancel Presnell

“HAPPINESS IN SORROW”

Jesus’ Beatitudes in Matthew 5 are a paradox. How can a person possibly be happy under the circumstances presented in these Beatitudes? Well, scripture shows us that you can. Mourning comes in a couple different ways. There is mourning for things that you cannot change, whether it be the loss of a loved one or tragedy strikes in various ways. There is a biblical mourning for our sins and shortcomings as well, so when Jesus says: “Blessed are they that mourn,” this Beatitude goes deep, far, and wide.

We can be happy in times of mourning because Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33.) If we believe in Christ, we are to be of good cheer and not be troubled because He whom we have believed in has conquered everything that mourning is derivative of (John 14:1.)

James tells us in James 4:9, 10 to be afflicted and mourn for our sins. The result will be that God will lift us up from our mourning over sin. We can be happy in whatever state of mourning that we are in. Not so much that the reason of our mourning makes us happy, but rather, the help that we are promised during our mourning makes us happy. God is great and gracious! We can have happiness in sorrow if we belong to Him.

Matthew 5:4—“4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”