Blessed Are Those Who Mourn: Finding Comfort in Jesus

Picture this. Jesus is joining you for your car ride to school. What stories from the Bible would he tell? How would he help you start your day? Let's explore these questions together as we open the Bible and learn something new. Welcome to Carpooling with Jesus where we turn car rides into faith filled moments. I'm Pastor Justin, and to start off the year we're talking about the Beatitudes. This is part of Jesus' lesson, the Sermon on the Mount. Have you ever been sad? Maybe even cried because something hurt your feelings. Jesus has cried before too. He's been sad. So we can trust him when he has something to teach us about sadness. So get comfy in the car and let's dive in. In Matthew chapter five, verse four, Jesus says, blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Mourning is when we feel sad, but Jesus promises something beautiful when we feel that way. You might be thinking, what does it mean to mourn? Well, mourning happens when we feel a deep sadness because of something difficult or a loss, like losing someone or something we deeply care about. Have you ever had a day you couldn't shake that feeling of sadness or when someone close to you was no longer there? Here's an amazing thing that Jesus says, that we're blessed when we feel that deep sadness. Why? Because God himself promises to comfort us. God doesn't leave us alone when we're sad. He's with us giving us love and peace and comfort. Even when things feel tough, think about it like this. When you fall and get hurt and someone special hugs you or helps you, you feel better, right? God does that for us when we're mourning. God understands our sadness. He sent Jesus who lived on earth and felt sadness too. When we feel down, Jesus knows exactly what we're going through and is ready to wrap his arms around us and comfort us. So, what can we do when we're sad or mourning? First, we can pray and tell God exactly how we feel. He wants to hear all of it. You could say, God, I'm sad today. Please help me and comfort me. God, I know you're listening and I know that you care. Another way to remember Jesus' promise is to let others comfort us too. Talk to your parents and let them know how you're feeling. And I'm sure you have a great teacher. It's okay to tell them when you're sad. Sometimes God uses the people around us to remind us that we're not alone. And don't forget, when we see someone sad, we can share God's love by being there for them too. A kind word, asking them how they're doing, or even just sitting with them can make a big difference. Alright friends, that's today's car ride. Remember, it's okay to feel sad sometimes. And when you do, Jesus promises you will be comforted. He loves you so much and is always there when you need him. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. We'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus, where we turn every car ride into a faith filled moment. And parents, if you're enjoying this podcast, share it with one of your parent friends so they can turn their car rides into faith filled moments too. Here's today's question. Try and answer it together before you get out of the car. When someone around you is sad, what can you do to help them feel better?