He Can Be Grieved
The Holy Spirit can be grieved when we sin or disobey God, causing Him sorrow and pain, but we can avoid this by loving and obeying Him.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the profound love of the Holy Spirit and how it makes Him susceptible to grief when we sin. He illustrates this with a poignant analogy of a parent grieving for a wayward child, highlighting that true grief stems from love. Tozer calls believers to recognize the weight of their actions and the impact they have on the Holy Spirit, urging them to be mindful of their relationship with God. He concludes with a prayer for awareness of God's love and a desire to avoid actions that would grieve the Holy Spirit.
Text
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. --Ephesians 4:30
Because He is loving and kind and friendly, the Holy Spirit may be grieved.... He can be grieved because He is loving, and there must be love present before there can be grief.
Suppose you had a 17-year-old son who began to go bad. He rejected your counsel and wanted to take things into his own hands. Suppose that he joined up with a young stranger from another part of the city and they got into trouble.
You were called down to the police station. Your boy--and another boy who you had never seen--sat there in handcuffs.
You know how you would feel about it. You would be sorry for the other boy--but you don't love him because you don't know him. With your own son, your grief would penetrate to your heart like a sword. Only love can grieve. If those two boys were sent off to prison, you might pity the boy you didn't know, but you would grieve over the boy you knew and loved. A mother can grieve because she loves. If you don't love, you can't grieve. The Counselor, 51-52.
"Lord, I think I take Your love for granted and consequently forget how grieved You are when I sin. Overwhelm me today with Your love, so that I might be more careful to not grieve You. Amen."
Sermon Outline
- The Holy Spirit Can Be Grieved
- The Consequences of Grieving the Holy Spirit
- The Nature of Grief
- Grief is a result of love
- Only love can grieve
Key Quotes
“He can be grieved because He is loving, and there must be love present before there can be grief.” — A.W. Tozer
“Only love can grieve.” — A.W. Tozer
“If you don't love, you can't grieve.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- Be mindful of your sin and seek to obey God to avoid grieving the Holy Spirit.
- Pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance and protection to help you make wise choices.
- Cultivate a deeper love and relationship with God to avoid grieving Him.