Ephesians 4:29-32
29 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. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you
were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and
anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you.
Are there some relationships in your home, your work, or at your school
that you want to see improve? Building others up is a good place to start.
It’s not all about what you say, it’s also about how you say it. Talking down
to people is a quick way to get on the wrong side of others.
It’s important to remember that relationships are challenging in the best of
situations. When challenges hit, and they will, it’s important to fix the
problems, not fix the blame. If you find yourself quickly blaming someone
regularly, you may need to do some heart maintenance, and forgive them
as God forgave you. When we grieve others through selfish or rude
behavior, we also grieve the Holy Spirit.
Proverbs 12:16
Fools show their annoyance at once,
but the prudent overlook an insult.
When we hold onto old wounds, one more thing, quickly becomes a long
list of offences. When we are kind, compassionate, and forgiving, our
words will start to heal and unite us with others, and we can keep our
differences but be moving parallel with others in the same direction.
Psalm 3:3
You, O Lord, are a shield about me.
You’re my glory, the lifter up of my head.
We don’t have to defend ourselves if we are turning to our Lord for our
identity and peace of mind.
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through these scriptures
