"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, 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. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Eph 4:29-32

God’s family is to be known for truth, unity, peace, honesty, purity, encouragement, kindness, forgiveness, and compassion.

That list sounds wonderful, but we can be all too aware of the times we or others fall short of that ideal. We need to make sure that we do not miss a key element in this text, the role of the Holy Spirit. Placing our faith in Christ is not a momentary action, something we do once and then we are left to our own devices to try and be a better person by sheer willpower. When we receive Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit1 and this means God’s power is immediately at work in our hearts and minds to bring about transformation. The question for us is: do we partner with the Spirit or grieve the Spirit?

God’s gift of his Spirit is remarkable because the relationship into which we are invited is a truly intimate one. Through our actions and choices, we can celebrate the Spirit’s presence, or we can grieve the Spirit. Over time, as we cultivate a relationship with the Spirit, it is as though our spirit is increasingly saturated with the Holy Spirit as our thoughts and actions become more aligned with those of Jesus.

Apply

Spend time praying to the Spirit and enjoying his presence with you.

Closing Prayer

Thank you, Father, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, my ever-present counselor. Help my relationship with him deepen; help me to be more and more in tune with his voice. Hallelujah, Amen (edited from Encounter with God).