lately, i've been given the great opportunity to learn, read and hear several people speak God's Word. it has been amazing to learn so much. but one thing that i have noticed in my walk with Christ is this; the older i get and the more mature i become in my walk, the more i dive into the meanings of biblical passages.
for instance, i am now involved in co-leading a small group at our church for 11th and 12th graders...as a result, i need to be up on Bible stories. we are exploring the beatitudes, and this week i get to talk about the 2nd. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)
when i read this, my first question was, "who am i supposed to mourn for?" i mean, after all, we mourn at funerals, therefore, we should mourn for somebody. but as i researched and studied, i found out that we are to mourn for our sins! God asks us to lament, to anguish over our sins. the result of mourning? going to our Heavenly Father and asking for a clean heart.
the second question i had was, "how will we be comforted?" and again after research and understanding, comfort comes in the form of God's grace. but this can only come after we mourn our since, repent of them, and ask Him to renew us!
so here's what it all leads up to...if we critically look at what we read, we can begin to understand just what God is trying to teach us. because He knows that i would have interpreted this passage as, "if i cry for a deceased relative, i will be given a big hug."
J.P., I believe that this is one point of doctrine that I interpret a little differently. I agree that we do need to mourn for our sins and that we are comforted when we do repent.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I believe the Book of Mormon has some points to clarify this part of the Beattitudes. In the book of Mosiah it states: "...Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort..." I believe that this is what Christ ment when he said "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."
Let me explain why I believe this. I have gone through certain things in my life that have been very hard to endure. I have struggled to overcome the pain associated with those things because they were inflicted on me not through my own unrighteous actions, but by the harmful acts of others. I have fasted and prayed and studied on how to remove the pain and the way that I have found it possible to overcome it is to help others who are or have struggled with the same thing I have. As I work with the Holy Spirit and am led to help other people struggling, I am filled with peace and patience and a new respect and love for my Savior. I know that he wants me to be happy and to help others of his children to be happy through the knowledge and wisdom that I have gained through my own personal trials. In that way, I am comforted and blessed. Does that make sense?
Also, sorry I haven't posted on here either! Been busy and (yes) a little lazy! Sorry bout that!
no worries...it's been crazy on this end of things too.
ReplyDeletei think that you're right too. i think that God calls us to comfort those who experience similar pains to us. as His children, we are called to love those around us and be love for them.