Invitation, Not Manipulation

Ephesians 4:30 (NLT®)
Do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

I believe there are many ways to bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit. The obvious way, stated here, is to purposefully make ungodly choices. Another way is to ignore Him. The Spirit of God will give you direction, but He will never manipulate you. My observation, through life experience, is He most consistently issues invitations. He will present you with an opportunity, and you’ll have to decide what to do with it. I suspect you’ll have some inner turmoil because His invitations can be intrusive and cumbersome, with some requirements attached. In my life, the invitations that have been the most disruptive have also been the most productive. That is why I pray we will be awake, and aware, and engaged in these days.

THINK ABOUT IT
Let’s not look for a comfortable routine or be satisfied with a lukewarm spiritual life, making God’s Spirit feel unwelcome. Instead, let’s ask Him to fill us and use us for His purposes.

PRAYER
Heavenly Father, forgive me for any selfish ambition, greed, or complacency. Today, I offer myself as a living sacrifice. May Your invitations be more real to me than the manipulations of the world. I choose to live for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.