The Heartache of Being Blessed

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Nine times Jesus said that a person is blessed. Now, what they are blessed for often would not match what the average preacher talks about when it comes to being blessed. Let’s look at what it means to be blessed.

Jesus said, Blessed are the poor in spirit… These are they who don't have much spirit left in them because of what life has thrown at them. Their spirit has been attacked to the point that they don't have much spirit left.

Jesus said, Blessed are they that mourn… Mourning is grieving. In other words, this person has experienced something that has caused them to grieve or mourn in life.

Jesus said, Blessed are the meek…. The meek is the one who could use their power to destroy another, but they choose to keep their power under control and continue to do right despite the heartache and pressure they must endure because of what others may say about them or do to them.

Jesus said, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness… These are they who live in dark days where sin seems to be rampant, and they hunger and thirst for the day when righteousness rules.

Jesus said, Blessed are the merciful… To be merciful means you have been wronged and have the power to hurt someone, but you choose mercy over revenge. The merciful is the one who chooses forgiveness and restoration over exercising the power to destroy the one who deserves punishment.

Jesus said, Blessed are the pure in heart… These are they who have pure desires but are seen as those who are the problem. These are they whose motives for standing for truth are misconstrued by those who hate truth.

Jesus said, Blessed are the peacemakers… You can't have peace without having conflict; however, the peacemaker chooses to find a way to make peace with those who are at conflict with them.

Jesus said, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake… These are they who are oppressed and abused because they choose right over wrong. These are they who are mistreated and often hurt for doing right over backsliding from truth.

Jesus said, Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. This is a summation that Jesus gives of those who are blessed.

My friend, being blessed is not about living in good times, but about doing right despite not benefiting from it. You are a blessed person when God chooses to allow you to go through difficult times, because it is in these times that you find God’s presence and help at its greatest.

The key to making difficulties a blessed time is to realize that even the difficulties are far better treatment than what you truly deserve. When you realize that the best you deserve is Hell, anything on top of that is simply a blessing, and to have God’s presence near you is the greatest bonus of all.