When was the last time you were verbally abused? Did those inappropriate words leave you feeling grieved, or with an aching void inside? Ephesians 4:30 declares, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.” Grief causes feelings of sorrow, unhappiness or even outrage. The Holy Spirit is a person, not just a power, and resides inside every Christian. He is God the third person of the Trinity and He feels emotions.

We grieve the Holy Spirit with our sinful actions and attitudes, which can shut down our sensitivities to God’s inner promptings. Harboring bitterness, harsh words, anger, unforgiveness, and foul language dulls our ability to hear the Holy Spirit’s impressions and directions. Unholy behavior moves us off the spiritual frequency of God where we can hear and communicate with Him. This leaves us wondering where God went. He is there, but we’re just sensing empty static. Our sins have separated us from the feeling of God’s closeness.

It is disheartening to God when we do not respect His presence with us in our daily lives. So, how do we stop grieving God the Holy Spirit who dwells within?

1) Maintain a clean heart with a willing spirit. Remain sensitive to God’s promptings. Basically, God desires that we cultivate holiness in our everyday living. Ask God to create in you a clean heart.

2) Maintain regular conversational prayer. We’ll be able to express our hopes, our failures, feelings of inadequacy, our needs and enjoy all our expressions of joy and appreciation as we identify the miracles He is performing in our life. God loves our expressions of gratitude.

3) Regularly read the living word of God, the Bible. This will renew our mind and shape us to be more like Jesus Christ.

Remember, our Lord blesses those who, “tremble at His word” (Isaiah 66:5). “Wealways pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of His calling, so that the nameof our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you” (2Thes 1:11-12).

Tremble on
Pastor Huck