In the second beatitude in Matthew 5:4, Jesus connects poverty of spirit with mourning. He pairs knowledge of our empty-handedness with grief over it. In doing so, He teaches us that it matters how we respond to the knowledge of our spiritual bankruptcy. It matters that we don’t just “get” that we’re sinners—but we also feel the weight of our sin.
And the amazing promise is that when we do, we will be comforted.
If you want to dig deeper into the themes in this episode, here are a few passages and reflection questions to consider.
Consider your theological or church background. Was mourning over sin emphasized? Was God’s comfort equally emphasized? Reflect on your personal experience with mourning over sin.
Read James 4:1-10. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you may be living in friendship with the world right now. How can you put this passage into practice this week?
Read Romans 5:1-5. How does the Holy Spirit pour out God’s love into our hearts? What reassurance does He give us, even though we sin?
Consider John 11:35 and John 11:38. How does Jesus demonstrate mourning over sin, even though it is not His own? What do you learn from His response to sin?