“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4)

There are two different approaches to suffering and sadness. One is healthy, and the other isn’t.

The unhealthy attitude is the COMPENSATION approach. It views life as a struggle (which it is), but we’ll be compensated in heaven. Truth is, eternity will be great! However, we distort the truth when we believe that things have to be bad now for them to be good in heaven. “If I’m not suffering, then something is wrong.” This poor me approach doesn’t see God as a loving father, but as a vengeful punisher.

The second attitude towards mourning is the TRANSFORMATION approach. This view is healthy because it seeks to understand how God is working to change us through our suffering, from the inside out. We can be sad as a result of our own choices or through no fault of our own—either way, God can use our mourning to draw us closer to him.

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