Day 11 - Grieving the Holy Spirit
When you exchange worldly things for the eternal things of God some things naturally change. You don’t go where you used to go; you don’t think like you used to think, you don’t say the things you used to say; and some of the friends you used to hang with, you no longer associate with. When and if you try to go back to the things that you used to do, the Holy Spirit grieves. He is saddened. The Holy Spirit hates sin and some of those things we used to do and even think about are sinful. Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption”.
In his book 40 days with the Holy Spirit, R.T. Kendall says this:
“What hurts the Holy Spirit? Chiefly, bitterness”
Paul says in Ephesians 4:31-32 - Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

When we walk with God transformation occurs and as transformation takes place forgiveness and love should happen naturally over time.
Jane and I had dinner with my sister and her husband over the Christmas Holidays and we have always fought like cats and dogs. She told the story of something I did to her as a child in like the second grade that just pierced my heart, and I know it was the Holy Spirit grieving. I just wanted to crawl into a hole at that moment and die. I thought, wow, how much I needed God in my life then to show me just how unselfish and rotten I was. This incident caused my sister to hate me so that she remembers a story that I have no recollection of, but I know without a doubt it is true. But thank God, that I eventually found Jesus and He saved me from my unthoughtful and unloving ways. The bible calls it wretched.
Prayer
Lord, sometimes this walk of faith can be lonely. Thank you, Lord, that Jesus came into my life and lives in me through the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord, that the Holy Spirit is ever present with me and is my compass for things that are both right and wrong. Thank you that He steers me along the narrow way and points me to you Father. Thank you for friends that I can share experiences with that won’t judge and will help lift me up when I am down. Lord, forgive me for some of the rotten things I did as a child and even as an adult. I pray, Lord, that those that I love and share this precious life with know that I love them, and that forgiveness is in their hearts and mine for the things I may have done. I love you, Lord and thank you that I am not what I was. In the precious and mighty name of Jesus, I pray. Amen!
I cried out loud after I wrote this and prayed this prayer. The Holy Spirit was grieved. This was God at work. Have you grieved the Holy Spirit?
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