Life Group Leaders’ Notes
Title: How To Be Blessed When You Are Sad
Key Text: “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4)
As we start our new series called ‘How To Live A Blessed Life’, we come to the first teaching that Jesus gave here in these beatitudes: Jesus said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
In the modern world, some of the more popular paths to having a ‘blessed’ life are through seeking pleasure, power, possessions and personal relationships. Yet so many people have acquired these, and are still not happy. Jesus’ teachings, however, are the complete opposite to what many people consider the way to happiness.
But Jesus said blessed are those who mourn. He promised that those who do will know great comfort in their lives. In what ways can this be true?
God will comfort those who mourn for their sadness (Psalm 34:18, 147:3)
God will comfort those who mourn for their sin (Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 51)
God will comfort those who mourn for the state of the church and the world (Nehemiah 1:3-11)
Apply
1. God will comfort those who mourn for their sadness (Psalm 34:18, 147:3)
Clearly it is not a blessing to suffer grief. Yet the truth is that we can know blessings and comfort as a result of grief and mourning that we would not otherwise know.
There are two very practical aspects to this verse:
• Where there is sadness, you need to allow yourself to mourn. It is not good to suppress sorrow inside us, it needs to be let out or it will linger.
• There is a relational aspect too: those who express their mourning can be comforted by someone. We were designed to need this, and there is no greater comforter than your Heavenly Father, who loves and understands you perfect.
If we turn to God instead of away from God in our time of mourning, we can know great comfort and consolation.
Matthew 5:4 (MSG) “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.”
Application
- When you have something to grieve, do you find it easy to let it out, cry, and share it with God? Are there any sources of sadness bottled up inside you that you struggle to release?
- Do you find it hard or easy to express your emotions to God when things have gone badly for you?
2. God will comfort those who mourn for their sin (Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 51)
The Bible holds out a promise that we can be forgiven our sins, and released from the burden of them, but first we have to admit and repent of them.
Matthew 5:4 (AMP) “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].
Tears are a sign of mourning. True repentance means that when we come to God we are grieved for our sin. We are sad and remorseful about our wrong actions and attitudes. Such repentance is always a sign of a true spiritual awakening.
Today, there is a great need for mourning about sin. Too many people try to brush away or excuse their guilt and shame.
Application
- Have you had a heart conviction of your own sin and repented of it?
3. God will comfort those who mourn for the state of the church and the world (Nehemiah 1:3-11)
Mourning is something to be considered not only in terms of personal sadness and sin but also in respect to the spiritual state of the church and society around us. Both are closely linked.
Billy Graham explained that the word mourning is to ‘feel deep sorrow, to show great concern, or to deplore some existing wrong.’ It implies that if we are to live life on the higher plane, then we are to be sensitive, sympathetic, tender-hearted, and alert to the needs of others and the world. Graham explained that the opposite of mourning is insensitivity, lack of caring, unconcern, callousness, indifference.
Nehemiah was deeply affected when he heard about the ruin of Jerusalem. Nehemiah 1: 3 They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire."
The broken-down state of God’s people and the nation deeply affected Nehemiah. This takes a level of maturity. He mourned for the state things were in. This was the starting point of the blessing of seeing the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt.
As Christians it is time for us not to feel sad and helpless; it is time for us to mourn and cry out in intercession for the weak state of the church and the sinful state of the nation.
Here are some of the ways that we can learn to mourn, if we want to see a new revival:
- Mourn for wayward family members
- Mourn for the multitudes who don’t know Jesus
Joel 3:14 says: Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
- Mourn over wickedness being portrayed as goodness
Isaiah 5:20: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
Whenever Christians truly mourn, comfort will follow. God will see our tears and hear our prayers and grant us success.
This is what has happened before in Britain and many places. The Holy Spirit, the great Comforter will come when we are truly grieved and show this grief with our tears, prayers and sacrificial service.
Application
- Are you convicted to mourn for the state of the nation?
- Do you know that when we mourn, we will be comforted.
