Death is not a blessing, but mourning is a gift of God to bring goodness into the midst of badness. Death is the result of sin (Romans 5:12) and repentance is an intentional act of mourning for the offence we have caused to God, and the loss of our relationship with Him. That kind of mourning is the entry point for blessing, so that we may receive forgiveness and grace to start a new life. But repentance must come in time: when Christ returns, millions will mourn without the blessing of any comfort as they see the opportunity of salvation extinguished for ever, and all they have worked for evaporate into nothing (Revelation 1:7).

So there are two types of mourning, described in 2 Corinthians 7:10 as 'godly' and 'worldly' sorrow: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 'Worldly sorrow' is a hopeless grief (1 Thessalonians 4:13) rooted in the belief that our future is only in this world, and therefore every loss is a tragedy which diminishes our destiny. 'Godly sorrow' is glad and willing to count all things as loss for the sake of Christ (Philippians 3:7-9). Jim Elliot, the 20thC martyred missionary pilot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

The comfort of the Lord is a very secure thing. It is a deep inner assurance that although we place no confidence in ourselves, our achievements, our reputation, our friends or our possessions, nevertheless, we are safe in Christ. This comfort is made all the more real to us as we read the Scriptures (Psalm 119:50; Romans 15:4). More than that, the Comforter comes to live within those who despair of their own virtue and ask for His grace (John 14:16-18). So the greatest blessing to all who mourn their failure, and reject worldly solutions, is the presence of the living God within us to assure us that we are fully loved, never forsaken and always provided for – whatever our circumstances.

Naturally, we would rather be happy than sad. The world offers many diversions to catch our attention and offers happiness instead of righteousness. But there is no blessing there; nor any lasting comfort. It is a divine paradox that the way forward after sin is not by 'forgetting it and moving on' but by going back to resolve past sin, and bringing it to the cross of Christ. Yet, when earthly things are taken away, the way forward is not to go back to them but to walk on with Christ, assured of His comfort and blessing. So today's little verse is packed with challenge and decisions to make if we are to rejoice in His comfort. Two questions may help: what sin is still outstanding and needs to be taken to the cross of Christ; and, what earthly things do we wrongly mourn (like Lot's wife: Genesis 19:26)?