JOHN SHIRK – In the Year to Shine, today’s Vital Step to a Radiant Faith is mourning.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus called His followers to have an influence in this world for the Gospel. He called His followers “salt” and “light.” It is not a coincidence that these references followed the Beatitudes.

One of those Beatitudes is found in Matthew 5:4.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Jesus was referring to a kind of mourning that is spurred by an immoral climate around us or the sin that dwells within us. Brokenness leads us to weeping, and weeping leads us to repentance. Repentance leads us to joy and refreshment in the presence of the Lord. James 4:9 says, “Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up.”

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com

Mourning is a vital step to a radiant faith that makes a difference in our world.