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(presented by Lisa Bishop)
Are you grieving the Holy Spirit?
Did you know that unforgiveness grieves the Holy Spirit?
Ephesians 4:29-33 tells us,
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.” To grieve means “to cause to feel sorrow, pain, unhappiness, or distress.” As the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit has a personality and the ability to feel emotions. Sometimes we can forget God is a personal God. We disregard the fact that Jesus is relational and the Holy Spirit feels. The Holy Spirit grieves when we sin and behave in ways unbecoming of a follower of Jesus. When we hold onto bitterness and anger and have malice in our hearts through unforgiveness, we hamper our relationship with God. When you do not forgive you forgo the full power of the Holy Spirit working through you. But remember when you struggle to forgive, the Holy Spirit is right there to help you.
In John 14:15-16, Jesus says,
If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.
You have the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, ready to help you 24/7/365. Forgiving others is possible and it flows from your fellowship with God. When you abide in Jesus you become like him. You think, feel, speak, and act like him. When you spend time in his word, the Holy Spirit speaks to you through scripture. You grow in sensitivity to hear God’s voice and he matures you, softens you, and sanctifies you.
So, give up grieving God through unforgiveness and grow in forgiving as God in Christ forgave you.
Forgiveness is hard work. But the more you do it, the easier it will get! And I am growing right alongside you.