Does God ever grieve? To grieve means to feel sadness and sorrow for what once was or what could have been. We grieve when someone or something good is taken away. So, yes, God grieves for us when we make poor decisions and miss out on the blessings that he has in store for us. Our text says: "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice" (Ephesians 4:30-31). God knows that the right choices will bring joy, security, and peace to us, and blessings to others. God will forgive us, cleanse us, redeem us, and restore us, but still he also grieves for us when we choose against his will for our lives. One of the chief ways we grieve God, as the text above points out, is by being bitter and unforgiving toward others. When we choose to hold on to a pain or a grievance, rather than forgiving and moving on, we are choosing to miss out on God's best for us. But if we can grieve God, then we can also please him through believing and following his plans for us. However difficult it may appear to do the will of God, there are always blessings of joy and peace that he will give us when we choose his will over the world's way. Sincere followers of Christ learn to confess their sins and then to accept God's cleansing grace, and move forward in that grace. – Pastor David Packer
