This phrase about grieving the Holy Spirit has always jumped out at me. Reverend Spurgeon said, back in 1859, that causing grief touches even the hardest hearts. But today, for the first time, I linked the cause directly to my mouth.
Ephesians 4:29-30a
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 . . .
This revelation really clenches it for me: I must include “unconscious talking” into my fast.
I can just imagine the Holy Spirit within me, covering ears and thinking, “I can’t believe she really said that!” And then, crying. Doesn’t crying go along with grief?
Sometimes, there is anger too, and disappointment. There is helplessness in grief, because there isn’t much one can do to change the situation. And with grief, there is pain.
When a person is sorrowing, it is because of loss. And in that loss, there is love. But it’s love that is cut off, stopped, quenched, unresolved, blocked. . . for whatever reason.
So, whenever I speak out-of-hand, or gossip, or judge, there is a loss that happens there too. I am inching further away from my center where the Holy Spirit dwells. And the Holy Spirit is calling, reaching out to me, warning me, crying for me, whispering to me, but I am too focused on the outpouring.
Unlike fasting from food, which is relatively easy since the body is pretty good about reminding me about three to four times a day, “Hey, didn’t you forget something? Food! I need food!” But to fast from blabbing is more difficult. There won’t be any help for this one. It will be about mindfulness. It will be about “practicing the presence” of God. It will be about thinking before I speak. It will be about slowing down. It will be about listening.
And maybe, just maybe, if I can submit to this discipline, even for a short while, I will hear the angels singing after all.
Meditations from Zion 
Powerful insight. Convicting.
Thank you for this post, Irm. Being well-acquainted with grief, it gives me a fresh perspective. Asking the Lord to bring quick conviction, as the thoughts form that grieve His heart. Lord, Bar my tongue from the temptation to be judgmental. Give me ears to hear You.The last thing I want to do is move away from Your presence or cause You pain!
Thanks for reading. I always appreciate your added remarks. I also know you can speak specifically to the sorrows of the Holy Spirit because you have known great loss. To be able to say, this is how the Holy Spirit feels when injured by thoughtless actions and words. It’s sobering. I am quite quite aware of something “big” happening within today.
[…] The breastplate (not commonly worn in modern times) protects the heart, one of the most vulnerable parts of the body. And how do we protect this heart? With right actions with fairness, honor, justness, and devotion to the One who embodies these traits. This typifies the sowing and reaping principle: we receive back what we give out. And the converse if true. I cannot expect my heart to be protected if I am grieving the Holy Spirit. […]
[…] I began this fast journey when I recognized for the first time how my words and behaviors were grieving the Holy Spirit. The solution is working together with the Spirit in prayer, from within, authentically radiating […]