Read our devotion today about mourning.

[Jesus said,] “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4

No one chooses to be sad. It happens naturally enough when we experience loss or face the pain of difficult circumstances. And most days, in the global village of our world today, we can find plenty to be sad about. So much, in fact, that we may have short-circuited our ability to mourn.

When we mourn, we don’t have to wear black clothes, cry all day, or even feel sad. Mourning is more about our ability to recognize injustice, acknowledge imperfection, and spot the distance between our shattered world and God’s perfect holiness. It’s not up to us to close this gap—Christ has already provided the bridge between our sin and God’s love.

Mourning involves bringing our recognition of what’s broken before God and asking for his healing, comfort, and restoration. Today, you don’t have to be sad—although you may be—as you reflect on areas and individuals that need the love of Jesus.

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Pray: “Lord, allow me to see the suffering of others as an opportunity to share your love with them. Open my heart to their pain and to be an instrument of your healing.”