- Watch Video Here: Session 03 – Mourn
Mourning is generally associated with death, but there is another biblical usage. Mourning is the correct attitude regarding the broken fellowship with God that sin causes. When someone dies, the surviving loved ones experience an almost overwhelming sense of loss. This intense emotion, called mourning, is due to the realization of the loss of fellowship or company with the deceased.
Sin causes separation from God and breaks our fellowship or companionship with Him. Sin causes us to move away from God. Our right response to this realization should be to mourn the loss of fellowship with our Heavenly Father.
For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, “I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite (Isaiah 57:15)
James 4:6-11 – While we are caught up in habitual selfish behavior like drug addiction, alcoholism or sex addiction, our wrong behavior does not bother us because our hearts are hard or seared.
When we sober up, we start to be aware of wrong behavior, and our conscience tells us it is wrong. These feelings are connected to the understanding of mourning.
Sin
In the least common denominator, sin is missing the mark or disobedience to God (acts of omission or commission). The children of God are called children of obedience and those who live by their own thoughts and will are called the children of disobedience. Ignorance of the right way does not exempt us of sin or the consequences.
The root of all sin is self. Eve had it all, but the devil deceived her to want more – “she could be like God.” She wanted more; hence, self-interest over obedience was the origin of the first sin and all since.
Romans 6:23 – Strikingly communicated throughout the Bible are the harsh and devastating consequences of sin. People are bewildered with problems today yet are clueless as why all the bad things happen to them. No recognition of sin as the cause prohibits any resolution. Our society thinks that good is evil and evil is good.
Mourning begins with recognition of sin, and, for most people, that comes with the consequences sin brings, when people hit their bottom. The understanding of the Scriptures or the confrontation of someone else can also bring the recognition. In 2 Samuel 11, we see one of the great men of all time, David, follow after lust, commit adultery, lie, and murder. God had Nathan the prophet confront David after which he accepted his sinful behavior, mourned, repented, asked for forgiveness, and received it.
Psalm 51: David asked God to wash him thoroughly of his iniquity and to cleanse him from his sin. God forgave David and gave him a new heart. After this incident, the Scriptures say, “David was a man after God’s own heart.
1 Corinthians 5:1; Ephesians 4:17-20 – The beginning of mourning is the awareness and acceptance of our sin.
True Godly Mourning (2 Corinthians 7:7-11)
Earnestness is serious attention to what we are thinking, saying, and doing. In our darkness, we are unconcerned about our thinking, saying, and doing. We are indifferent and thoughtless toward God and the things of God.
Vindication is a full acceptance of the responsibility of the sin and a strong desire to vindicate oneself for the wrong caused by it. This clearing includes making amends with others whenever possible. In darkness, we rationalize our sin and blame others, circumstances, or situations.
Rather than admitting the error as our own, we shift the blame to others or dismiss it as not being that significant —”no big deal.” We live with the sin and do not care enough to change.
Indignation is to become very upset at our own sinful living. It is a righteous anger directed at one’s own sinful behavior. Walking in darkness, we become very passive and accepting of sin.
Life without God becomes normal.
Fear is reverence, awe, and respect directed toward God along with a fearful concern for what He thinks. Walking in darkness, our thoughts of God diminish because our focus is on self and the things of the world. Without God in mind, our attitude of reverence and worship dissipates.
We develop an irreverent attitude toward Him and no longer care what He thinks of us.
Longing is to have an urgent, passionate hunger for God and the things of God. Walking in darkness encourages hunger for and involvement in things of the world. Lust, selfishness, and worldly desires replace desire for God.
Zeal is to be hot, fervent, on fire for God. As we walk in darkness, life becomes humdrum and complacent. Time and life slip away with no urgency pertaining to godly living. We have no fire for godly living.
Avenging of wrong is to make right or just what was wronged while we were sinning. Walking in darkness, we lose interest and do not care that our evil has its way in hurting other people.
Ahab and Manasseh, men who committed great evil that hurt many people, became humble, asked for forgiveness, and received it.
Psalm 103:8-13 – “Mercy toward them that fear Him,”
Luke 15:11-24 – The son thought he could make it on his own, only to realize utter failure and total humiliation. He went from the loving care of his father to a situation where no one cared enough to give him even pig food. The father was not harsh, critical, or condemning; he was compassionate.
1 John 1:5-10 – Our fellowship with God is conditional upon our walking in the light, and, when we fail to do so, confessing our sin.
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