This is a popular verse at many funeral services. When a loved one passes from this life to the next the family and friends mourn the death of the deceased. If you keep this verse in context by reading verses 3 and 4 together, you can see that the kind of mourning that Christ is talking about here is not mourning over the death of a loved one, but mourning over sin. Jesus is saying that blessed is that man or woman whose sins are forgiven, who has much sorrow and grief over his personal sinfulness, for he shall be comforted. Happy is the one who comes to Christ for forgiveness, for they shall be forgiven. Blessed is the one who turns to God in repentance and faith.

The questions that should ponder in the heart of a true believer are, why do I sin? Why do I do that which is displeasing unto God? 1 John 1:8-10 reminds us that even as saved children of God we fall short and sin. The words of John at the start of the next chapter are a great solace to the child of God. He declares if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one, the forgiver of sins. There is a time to mourn and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4). There must be a balance in the life of the Christian of mourning over our sins and joy over forgiveness.

Yes, our sin should cause us sorrow, but we should also have great joy and a sense of peace in the knowledge that our advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ is the righteous One who does pardon us before the throne of Heaven. Even now Christ is praying for you so your faith will not fail. Christ kept Peter and He will keep all His children from completely falling away from the truth.

In Revelation 21:4 those that mourn shall be comforted by God when he wipes away all tears from their eyes. There is a day coming when sadness shall be turned to joy, when woe and heartache will cease in the soul of the believer. This promise of God is also found in Isaiah 61:2, “To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn.”

The reader will do well to bear in mind James 4:7-10 this is how the believer is comforted by God. The truly mourning and repenting sinner will submit to the Lord as he is drawn nigh to the throne of grace. Humble yourself today before God, do not harden your heart, and have your mourning turned to joy as your sins are confessed and God is glorified.