23. Godly comfort.

"Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4) Will the world ever tell us there is a blessedness in mourning? It wouldn't, because sorrow is a sign of failure and loss but godly sorrow is the path to blessing! 'Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no room for regret but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.' (2 Corinthians 7:10-11) Godly sorrow means grieving over sin as God does and he expects it from us because his 'kindness leads us to repentance'(Romans 2:4). The beatitudes actually stem from what was said of the root of Jesse: 'From his roots a brach will bear fruit, The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him.' (Isaiah 11:1-2) Therefore, Jesus began his ministry by saying, 'The Spirit of the Lord is on me ... to bind up the broken hearted... to comfort all who mourn ... to bestow on them the oil of gladness instead of mourning ...' (Isaiah 61:1-3, Luke 4:18) Let's go back through the path of repentance to rediscover the blessings of the Gospel. Amen