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.
Don't cause God's Holy Spirit to grieve! But how do we cause the Spirit of God to grieve? By harboring bitterness, unleashing anger-driven rage, brawling with others, and slandering the name of people or plotting to harm them. Not only are these behaviors in direct opposition to the will and character of God, but they are also the exact opposite of the qualities the Spirit is seeking to produce in our lives - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (
Galatians 5:22-23). No wonder such evil behaviors listed grieve the Holy Spirit; they are in direct opposition to the work of the Spirit in our lives and in our relationships.
Almighty Father, please conform me to be more like Jesus by the power of your Holy Spirit as I commit to display Jesus' character and compassion in my life, especially how I treat others. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
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