Blessed: Matthew 5:4

“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.” What is life in God’s kingdom and under his rule like? Jesus is inviting people into a whole new way of living that not only produces true flourishing in the here and now, but also in the age to come. He does this while declaring some of the most counter-rational statements on what it means to be happy. Blessed are those who mourn.

Respond:

• Jesus promises that all who mourn will be comforted. In what ways may we miss out on the comfort offered by God because we refuse to mourn and as a result carry unresolved grief, sorrow or pain?

• When you encounter feelings of grief and sadness, what distractions do you turn to or what emotions surface that may prevent you from mourning?

• What in your personal story, your circumstances, and in our country and world calls for mourning in the people of God?