“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
—Matthew 5:4 NIV

At some point we all face a situation that makes us ask, “God, how could you let this happen?”

The Bible does not provide an easy answer to that question, but it does make a surprising statement: the brokenhearted, those who are grieving, those who mourn . . . are blessed.

Why? Because they will be comforted.

Psalm 34:18 (NIV) says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves the downcast in spirit.” In a mysterious way, when we grieve we have the opportunity to experience God’s closeness in a way that we cannot when everything is “alright.”

Whatever you are going through today, take a moment to simply breathe and think on this truth: it’s okay to mourn. It’s okay to grieve.

Jesus, “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3 ESV), understands what you are feeling and is with you.

Here is a short prayer to carry with you today:

Breathe in: In my grief,
Breathe out: Bring me comfort.