Happiness Through Mourning

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." Matthew 5:4
In the book Stories for the Journey, William R. White tells about a European seminary professor named Hans, whose wife Enid passed away. Hans was so overcome with sorrow that he lost his appetite and didn't want to leave the house. Concerned for him, the seminary president paid Hans a visit, along with three other colleagues, and the grieving professor confessed that he was struggling with doubt. "I am no longer able to pray to God," Hans admitted. "In fact, I am not certain I believe in God any more." After a moment of silence, the seminary president said, "Then we will believe for you. We will pray for you." The four men met daily for prayer, asking God to restore the gift of faith to their friend. Some months later, as the four friends gathered for prayer with Hans, he smiled and said, "It is no longer necessary for you to pray for me. Today I would like you to pray with me."
Deep grief and sorrow is an emotion that we will all experience. We are not alone. As Hans was joined when he couldn’t pray we can be joined by others in our grief. Even more encouraging is our Lord identifies with our grief.
"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" Isaiah 53:3a We see Jesus’s grief at the tomb of His friend Lazarus, in the garden, and on the cross when He cries out asking why He had been abandoned. There is no grief, no sorrow, no pain that we experience that Jesus doesn’t know. He joins us in our grief.
We are called to join Him in his grief for the lost. We are told in Matthew 5:3 that those who mourn will be comforted. Those who mourn with Christ over the lost will be comforted with joy of answered prayer of the lost being found, the deaf hearing, the blind seeing, the hopeless attaining hope, the angry finding peace, the dead brought back to life.
Question: When, if ever, was the last time you wept for the loss?

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