Grieving the Holy Spirit

"He said, 'They are my very own people.

Surely they will not betray me again.'

And he became their Savior.

In all their suffering he also suffered,

and he personally rescued them.

In his love and mercy he redeemed them.

He lifted them up and carried them through all the years.

But they rebelled against him

and grieved his Holy Spirit.

So he became their enemy and fought against them."

Isaiah 63:8-10 NLT

I feel secure in His grip, safe in His arms, sure of His presence.  I can count on God to be there for me.  But I hardly ever think about how my actions, the way I choose to live, the decisions I make affect Him.  Instead, I mostly think about the benefit of having Him near.  Once I've received the Holy Spirit through repentance and faith in Jesus, is it possible to grieve Him?  Oh, let me count the ways (Ephesians 4:21-32).

Walk the walk.  This is not a religion, a set of rules to follow, a tradition to preserve.  Instead, as I place my life in the hands of Jesus, I enter into a relationship with a living God who takes up residence within me.  As a result, there is a constant transformation process taking place with the goal of changing me from the inside out (Romans 12:2).  In order for me to see fruit from this life-long progression, I must cooperate, operating as a willing participant.  If I just talk about what I learn, the truth will never move from my head down to my heart where the real change takes place.  Instead, I must become pliable like softened clay in the Master Potter's hands, giving Him the opportunity to mold me into the shape He desires me to possess (Jeremiah 18:6).

What does this look like?  It means that when the Spirit of God convicts me of a certain sin and I become aware of it's presence in my life, knowing it doesn't belong, I will repent of it, turning away from this old way of thinking, acting and speaking.  I will throw off the sin that's come to my attention like a tainted garment, realizing it offends the God who gave so much to make me right with Him.  It also means I'll apply the Word to myself, letting it's sharpened blade cut away that which doesn't belong instead of just reading it like a textbook filled with interesting information (Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).  Additionally, I'll let my Light shine before men, setting a good example and sharing the saving message of the Gospel as an ambassador of Christ to a lost world so that others will turn to faith in Christ, seeing my good deeds and praising my Father in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:20, Matthew 5:16).

I grieve the Holy Spirit when I fail to respond to His conforming pressure, instead choosing to live as I've always lived.

Clean Sweep.  Clutter seems to form in my house on its own, as if it has a life of its own.  Without any effort at all, stuff quickly covers every open surface of my house.  Before I know it, newspapers, books, hats, pens, mail, groceries, coffee cups and the like are scattered around, littering my home, turning it into a hoarder's paradise.  If I don't take the time each day to tidy up, I'm soon overwhelmed with the clutter.

In the same way that I need to intentionally clean up my home on a regular basis, I must conduct a similar operation in my heart, letting God show me what doesn't belong there (Psalm 139:23-24).  If I just float along, I will invariably drift back toward my sinful ways, taking on a little bitterness here and adopting an immoral belief there.  Before you know it, my heart is cluttered with resentment, contentious attitudes, spite and malice.  I find myself sneering at those who irritate me, talking about the failings of others and taking on the attitude that those who suffer are only reaping what they have sown so they better suck it up and deal with it.  As I hear opposing opinions, I'm ready to prove the speaker wrong, attempting to show them how foolish their beliefs are.  If I want to prevent the drift toward such behavior that is ingrained within my flesh, I must take constant inventory, getting rid of all that doesn't bring glory to God (Ephesians 4:31).

I grieve the Holy Spirit when I let destructive attitudes and beliefs clutter up my heart, failing to get rid of that which is not fitting for a child of the King.

Children of Light.  Time is short and the end is near.  Sometime soon Jesus will return and set all things right again.  Many live as if they have all the time in the world and they can turn back to God later, after they've sown their wild oats.  I know better.  As one whose been plucked from the miry pit of living for myself, I'm aware that my days are numbered, and the hours left for the earth to exist as is are few. 

Since I have such knowledge of Christ's return, I must live as a child of light, not getting caught up in that which is done in darkness (1 Thessalonians 5:5).  I realize that what I do now has lasting affects, and so I must desire that which will endure, not getting involved in what doesn't bear kingdom fruit.  As I sweep out that which doesn't belong, I can let God replace the sin with forgiveness, kindness, His love and compassion (Ephesians 4:32).  Before I realize what's happening, I have a desire to help others, letting go of the ways I've been hurt and instead speaking kindly.  I'm eager to pass on the forgiveness and am enabled to bear with others by the power of love that flows through me (Ephesians 4:2).  When I'm responsive to the work of the indwelling Spirit of God, He is able to create a clean heart within me, restoring a right spirit within me, a spirit that reflects more clearly His Son (Psalm 51:10, Romans 8:29).

I grieve the Holy Spirit when I fail to live as a child of His light, choosing instead to live as if Jesus did not save me.

I am secure in my salvation yet I'm not immune from offending His indwelling Spirit.  I'm not free to live however I want without consequences.  I can inflict pain upon Him in the way I live, the sin I let clutter my heart, and the path I choose.  Therefore, to prevent causing the Holy Spirit sorrow, I must walk the walk, conduct regular clean sweeps of my heart, and live as a child of the Light.  When I do, I please God, avoiding my tendency to grieve His indwelling Spirit.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to let go of that which offends Him.

When do I hang on to that which I'm fully aware is wrong in His eyes?

How much clutter has built up in my heart?           

A Dynamic God

"In my distress I called to the LORD;

I cried to my God for help.

From his temple he heard my voice;

my cry came before him, into his ears.

The earth trembled and quaked,

and the foundations of the mountains shook . . .

He reached down from on high and took hold of me;

he drew me out of deep waters.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy. . ."

Psalm 18:6,7a,16,17

There is no deeper longing in the human heart than to be heard.  Arguments often times are generated by each side desperately trying to make their case known while neither seeks to understand.  I often search for a listening ear, a compassionate shoulder on which to cry, someone who cares.  Meanwhile, marriages crumble, relationships collapse and the heart is estranged.  Does anyone hear?

God is not far-removed and disconnected from His image-bearers, stuck in one place and hopelessly one-dimensional.  He is intertwined and intimately involved in our lives, complex and dynamic.  He desires relationship as much as I do, yet He is perfectly equipped to maintain such a bond.  He always hears, never fails to understand my heart's cry, and responds in a way that will bring goodness and blessing into my dry and broken spirit.  He is the One I've been searching for all this time.  He is the One who can fill this deepest need.

Receives.  He is a holy God.  He is on the throne in heaven on high.    He must be far too busy and way too hallowed to listen to lowly me, or so I think.  In reality, I was made to live in relationship with Him.  I was not meant to go it alone, bear my own burdens and solve every problem I face.  He wants me to come to Him as a daughter approaches a loving Father who desires nothing more than to care for His child (Matthew 6:32-33, Hebrews 4:16).

Our God, the Maker of heaven and earth, is not an aloof God who is consumed with power and stingy with His gifts.  No.  Through faith in Jesus Christ, He is welcoming and approachable.  He listens to my desperate cries for help.  My petitions never fall on deaf ears, but always reach His consciousness where He is grieved for me.  My sufferings move the heart of God.

God always hears my prayers.

Responds.  It is good to know that I am heard and fully understood.  My heart longs for such love, and I have it through Christ.  Even more astounding than such a powerful God being attentive to my cries, however, is a mighty God who actually does something in response.

My Father doesn't just hear me, but my voice moves Him to action.  When I am wronged He burns with anger.  When my heart hurts He is grieved as a Father who wants nothing more than to take His child's pain away.  When I am in distress He leads me to a place of safety (Psalm 18:16-19).

God is always at work on my behalf.  He doesn't just leave me to my own devices, but constantly meddles in my life, giving me more than I could ever have on my own.  Sometimes this kind of attentiveness hurts as He molds me into the shape of His Son.  Other times it makes my heart sing as I see His love in action.  Still, I can trust in Him always, knowing He is on the job and will never let me down.

God responds to my prayers.

Reflects.  God hears me always, then responds in ways only He can.  But there is more.  The Lord is a God of order, of government, of symmetry.  He is not a random God, but One who cannot be mocked.  Therefore, I can expect to reap what I sow, to receive what I give (Galatians 6:8).  In other words, God reflects back to me what I think of Him and the way I live my life.

It reminds me of a parable I once heard of a wise man posted at the gates of a great city.  A traveler approached and asked the elder, "What kind of people live in this place?"  

The man replied with a question of his own, "What were the people like from where you came?"

"Oh, they were nasty and cruel, always looking to make a buck."

"Then that is what you will find here as well."  

The newcomer went on his way and entered the city.

Soon, another weary traveler approached the sage.

"Tell me, sir, what kind of people live in this place?"

He countered again by asking how the people were in the place from which he came.

"Oh, they were wonderful!  Kind and thoughtful, generous and caring."

"Then you will find the same here."

The moral is that I find what I seek and my perception is colored by my expectations as well as my own attitude.

This is similar with God.  He does not change, but it is I who determines the side of Him I will see.  If I'm faithful, trusting in Him as my only hope, I will see Him as faithful.  If I live with integrity, He is to me a God who cares about how I live.  If, however, I live to please myself, not caring if I deviate from His best for me, He will appear as my antagonist.  I will soon grow angry at Him, wondering why His hand always seems against me, while in truth, it is I who is contrary to Him (Psalm 18:25-28).

Therefore, I have a responsibility to constantly check my attitude, to ask God to show me where I'm off, to test my own motives (Psalm 139:23-24).  The minute I sense a change in the way I view God, it is necessary that I stop and take inventory of my heart.  How am I doubting Him?  Where am I becoming lax, thinking sin is not a big deal and giving myself a pass?  How am I sowing seeds of the flesh?

God reflects my own attitude back toward me.

Thankfully, God is nearby, intimate and approachable, not stagnate, dead or unresponsive.  As such, I can trust Him to always hear my cries, to respond in a way that is best for me, and to reflect what I give to Him.  Yes, let me relate to Him as the living, responsive and dynamic God He is!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to spill my heart out to Him, no matter how ugly it may seem.

How do I expect less from God than what He is able to give?

When do I think God does not hear me, turning bitter and angry in response?