Blessed Are Those Who Mourn - Crosswalk Couples Devotional - June 5
Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
By: Michelle Lazurek
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4
I logged on to my computer for a regular doctor's appointment. Little did I know I would receive some hard news. I got off the computer and wept. Jarred by the sudden health news, a dozen questions flooded my mind:
Am I going to live a whole life?
Was I going to see my kids get married?
Would I leave my husband as a widow?
Was I going to live to see my grandkids?
Reeling from the news, I told my husband. He was highly encouraging. He told me he would spend whatever was necessary to manage my health. While it was a nice comment, I still wasn’t feeling hopeful. After all, it wasn’t his health in jeopardy; it was mine. Nothing he could say would comfort me because I was the one who needed to make changes in my lifestyle to improve my health.
I went out and sat quietly in a park on a park bench. I inhaled deeply and took in the warm air. I enjoyed looking at the sights around me. I wanted to take a moment to separate myself from my problems. Tears welled and slipped down my cheeks once again. At that moment, I felt God whisper to my heart:
“You’re done when I say you’re done, not when a doctor says you’re done.”
“Your mission is to bless others. That is your daily mission.”
“Focus on me and follow me.”
Although the health news never got better, I took joy and comfort in these words from the Lord. It helped me focus more on my current reality:
My job is to bless people and others and exude the fruits of the spirit. No one is promised tomorrow. All these dreams of having a whole life, living into our 80s or 90s with grandchildren and great-grandchildren swarmed around me faded, and I had to be OK with that.
All I can do is focus on my daily mission. I didn’t know it, but God blessed me in the mourning of my good health. He chose to give me a new outlook on life. He gave me a spouse who supported me in my health goals. My mission is to love my husband, choose joy, and choose to bless others. When I follow God's daily instructions, I know I've lived my life well. I would rather have 59 years of following the Lord than 89 without him. I must make the most of my life by following God's commands. I must leave my life and my future to him.
There are so many things people mourn: the loss of their child, a life transition, an empty nest. All these things bring people grief and sadness. But it is in the Lord that we receive our comfort.
Part of marriage's joy is having someone with whom you can help you grieve. Grief is not meant to be done alone. We are blessed when we grieve with others, bearing each other's burdens and allowing us to be used to comfort those who are deeply saddened and grieved. Sometimes, our spouses can't handle those emotions and cannot comfort us when we mourn.
However, we can rejoice and hope in the Lord, knowing he will be our great comforter and always handle our emotions. Our father never leaves us alone, but he allows us to grieve our losses and is there to dry every tear. Losses are our reminder that this is not our home.
This is just a temporary stop on the way to heaven. There will be no more tears, sorrow, or loss in heaven, but here, grief, sadness, and separation are authentic. We must take joy in the hope that God will be there to dry every tear and that there will come a day when there will be no more sadness, grief, pain, or tears.
Father, help us to be comforted when we mourn. Please help us to mourn our loss as well. Allow us to go to you for our comfort when we mourn. Please help us to pour out all our feelings and allow you to be our great comforter. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Gus Moretta
Related Resource: 3 Simple Ways to Feed Your Spouse More Praise
How often do you intentionally stop to praise your spouse? To recognize and affirm their character or actions? Many of us probably cringe at answering these questions because we know we could do better! If you struggle to feed your spouse praise regularly, this episode is for you. Listen in as we share some practical steps we all can take to criticize less and affirm and build up our spouse more. If this episode helps your marriage, be sure to subscribe to Team Us on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
