Grieving God or Pleasing God?

- It's interesting that verse 30, "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." is sandwiched between these other verses about some don't's and some do's. To ponder: Are we grieving God or pleasing God with our words, attitudes, and actions?
- We must not allow any corrupt/morally rotten/vile/unwholesome communication. Our words should be good, necessary, edifying, gracious, truthful, beneficial, and helpful to those who hear them. We must learn to tame our tongue.
- Psalm 19:14 has become part of my daily morning prayer (before getting out of my bed): "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."
- We are to get rid of all bitterness (resentment, animosity, rancor), rage (violent anger/violent & uncontrolled action) and anger, brawling (a noisy quarrel or fight) and slander (a malicious statement or report, evil speaking), along with every form of malice (the desire to harm others or to see others suffer). Bitterness is a result of unforgiveness (spiritual poison). "Anger is a choice, as well as a habit. It is a learned reaction to frustration, in which you behave in ways that you would rather not." (~Wayne W. Dyer) We must strip away all these sins which grieve the Holy Spirit. If we eliminate these from the closet of our heart, we will likely clean up our conversation at the same time.
- We, as Christ's followers, are to keep on being kind, compassionate (tenderhearted), and forgiving. "I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now." (Unknown) To be tenderhearted means to be moved by another's distress, to feel another's pain, to have sympathy/empathy for another's suffering. Forgive each other just as in Christ God forgave you! "Whenever I see myself before God and realize something of what my blessed Lord has done for me at Calvary, I am ready to forgive anybody anything. I cannot withhold it. I do not even want to withhold it." ~Martin Lloyd Jones
- "Do not keep the alabaster boxes of your love and tenderness sealed up until your friends are dead. Fill their lives with sweetness. Speak approving, cheering words while their ears can hear them and while their hearts can be thrilled by them." ~Henry Ward Beecher