ByThe Holy Spirit is the current part of the godhead that now dwells in the children of God right here on Earth. And because of His presence in our lives, communing with God has become way easier than ever before. Today, you can simply walk to your closet, open your mouth to pray and boom, you’re fellowshipping with God. Meanwhile, the Israelites in the Old Testament never had that opportunity. We believers are required to take advantage of the presence of the Spirit in our lives. But usually, it’s not so. Some believers do things which rather grieve the Spirit instead of glorifying Him in our lives. And sincerely speaking, many of these believers don’t know or like what they’re doing because God prompts them to stop it. Today, you’re going to learn what it means when the Bible says in Ephesians 4:30 (NKJV) that “… do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God…”. Let’s dive in.
The meaning of “grieve” in the context of Ephesians 4:30
According to Biblical Concordance, the Greek translation of the word “grieve” is “λυπέω,” which means to make sorrowful or affect with sadness. That means to grieve the Holy Spirit is to make Him sorrowful, and that is a dangerous thing to do. But why? Because you’re causing pain to God, which is not profitable to you. Therefore, it’s better to learn what grieves the Holy Spirit so you don’t engage yourself in it.
Things that grieve the Spirit of God
There are many things a believer can do which will grieve the Holy Spirit. But all of them are wrapped up in sin. When you do an evil thing, the Spirit in you grieves. And the quickest sign you’ll see that He is grieved is how sad you begin to feel in your heart.
Let me talk about a few distinctive things that grieve the Holy Spirit of God more commonly these days.
#1 Disobedience to God’s instructions
God is sovereign. He frequently gives instructions to His people to do. And anytime a believer disobeys Him, it saddens Him. But why? Because such a person’s disobedient action portrays that he’s wiser than God, which is wrong.
#2 Bitterness
Bitterness comes as a result of unforgiveness, and it has a direct effect on the purity of a person’s heart. Since the Holy Spirit dwells in you and has shed abroad God’s love in your heart (see Romans 5:5), harbouring iniquity grieves Him so much. In fact, if you don’t take care and you live in this state, it can affect your spiritual sanity, and you’ll not be able to hear God clearly. Forgive as Christ has forgiven you (see Colossians 3:13).
#3 Unwholesome conversations
The third thing most believers do that grieves the Spirit is foolish talk or unwholesome communication. But why? The Bible says in Matthew 12:34 (NKJV) that,
“… For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
That means what comes out of your mouth reflects what is in your heart. So if the Spirit of God dwells in you and you store evil things in your heart, so much so that it starts reflecting in your speech, that’s a total blow against God.
There are many more activities that grieve the Spirit, and I can’t talk about all of them. But primarily, when you do anything that makes the Holy Spirit prompt you through a heart conviction, it’s a sign that you’ve grieved Him. In that instance, repent immediately.
Why God doesn’t want you to grieve the Holy Spirit
Finally, you may ask why God doesn’t want you to grieve the Holy Spirit. The answer is simple – so that you can have a thriving relationship with Him. He knows that when your relationship with Him is on solid ground, everything else in your life will follow His pattern. Prioritise living with a pure heart rather than indulging in sinful acts.
You’re a blessing.
