This verse identifies six things that grieve the Holy Spirit:
- Bitterness
- Wrath
- Anger
- Clamor
- Evil Speaking
- Malice
Look at the list closely. Most of these things are held INTERNALLY without others knowing what’s going on inside. Eventually, however, what is festering inside us is going to ERUPT, and these vile behaviors MAKE US OFFENSIVE to the HOLY SPIRIT and the PEOPLE around us.
Bitterness – is like acid. It eats away at the vessel that contains it.
Wrath – means revenge. It has a strong desire to get even.
Anger – is rooted in the desire for power. It shows itself when we are denied something we think we deserve or are entitled to.
Clamor – disruptiveness. To be noisy and disruptive. A person clamors to be heard when he/she feels left out or unnoticed.
Evil Speaking – injuring another person’s good name, slandering, or uttering defamatory remarks.
Malice – to be motivated by dislike or hatred. It is the ultimate in moral inferiority because it is the exact opposite of love.
The Holy Spirit does not manifest Himself when and where such attitudes and behaviors exist. The Holy Spirit will not help you lie, gossip, misrepresent the truth, sow discord among the brethren, or seek revenge. He will not help you hurt another. He MANIFESTS Himself ONLY when we confess our sins, tell the truth, make restitution, and obtain forgiveness from those whom we have wronged.