Finding Comfort in a Fallen World

Jesus implied in His opening words of the Sermon on the Mount that all of mankind are 'poor in spirit' [Matthew 5.3], but not all admit that poverty. Poor in spirit means that I cannot create or maintain a good relationship with God or my fellow human beings. In light of the reality of our being and admitting to be poor in spirit it is appropriate that we mourn that poverty. Because we have lost our ability to have good relationships we suffer loss.
There is a broad spectrum of loss. I lose my keys almost every week. I lost my best friend 15 years ago. I suffered with allergy related asthma most of 2010. Every area of loss implies some suffering and demands some balance of action and mourning. The more insignificant the loss, the more action is required. The more devastating the loss the more mourning is required.
For the most part action is easy and as a human being, I tend to impose action on devastating losses rather than mourning. I tend use a couple of different actions as alternatives to the slower more painful process of mourning. Actions include mental acts like denial [recall Jack Bauer of the TV series "24" being blown up, cut and bleeding, then asked if he was OK. His constant response was, "I am fine." Everyone knew he was not fine]. Actions include emotional acts like anger. Actions include physical acts like medicating the loss.
Unfortunately, these alternatives for mourning do not work. Appropriate mourning has many counterfeits, but no successful alternatives. When we do choose the difficult task of mourning we grieve the loss, we accept the loss and we, by the grace of God, choose to forgive those who are implicated in causing the loss. I believe that no matter where we are in the process of mourning God will comfort us. That is precisely what Matthew 5.4 claims.
The Good News for those that follow Christ is that all of our losses are temporal. They are limited to this earth. The greater part of our comfort, contentment and joy are part of God's gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Those that, by faith, ask God for forgiveness and accept Jesus as Savior are promised that every tear will be wiped away.
We can find comfort in the present world through appropriate mourning; that is God's promise.