SA48 - Keep Your Senses When Your Loyalty Is Tested
We are living in challenging times, and it can be very difficult dealing with misunderstandings, especially when you feel you’ve been mistreated as a result. Sometimes, there exist disagreements with fellow believers, where the innocent party is devastated and hurt. In these moments, it can be tough to control your senses and avoid giving into harmful thinking.
Even if you’ve done nothing wrong, past experiences of betrayal and hurt can cause us to react the way that Satan wants, by questioning, ‘If this person can act this way, is this really God’s organization?
Imagine how Zaina must have felt. She was so downhearted that she cried every night because she was reassigned to the field after more than 23 years in Bethel. She had to deal with some brothers and sisters in the congregation adding to her pain by telling her that she was let go because she wasn't good enough.
In this regard, Joseph faced severe trials. He could have questioned whether Jehovah really loved him. He could have wondered if Jehovah had abandoned him. He kept his senses by remaining calm. He refrained from retaliating against his brothers. He showed forgiveness and love to those who hurt him and did not become embittered. Joseph was able to think clearly. He saw the big picture - Jehovah’s purpose.
The same goes for being disciplined and remaining loyal despite organizational changes. Peter was disciplined in front of the other apostles. Yet, he was humbled and remained loyal to Jesus. He accepted the discipline, learned from his mistakes and Jehovah rewarded his loyalty by assigning him weighty responsibilities in the congregation. If you’re struggling to adjust to organizational changes or an assignment adjustment, we must be assured that Jehovah understands our feelings. As we support changes and loyally stick to Jehovah and the organization, we will certainly be blessed.
Our interpersonal communications, being disciplined, or submitting to organizational changes can test our loyalty. Therefore, it is important to follow a good spiritual routine of prayer, reading the Bible, Christian association, and participating in the ministry, where we share in a lifesaving work. Regardless of our trials, Jehovah can empower us to cope with personal challenges, we only need to show that we trust in His ability, and Jehovah will show us that he has the desire to help.
Thank you for reading,
-Soli Jehova Gloria (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Do you have a comment that did not get mentioned during the Watchtower study? What encouraging observations would you like to point out? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
3 comments
Excellent summary! I love how Jehovah continues to give us spiritual gems, and constant spiritual feasting.
It’s like Satan wants us to think like him. A juvenile child, hyperactive, risk-taking behavior, aggressiveness, and involvement in other forms of antisocial behavior – then get upset when we’re corrected. Jesus came to earth and showed us how to be mature, able to digest solid spiritual food and behave responsibly, with each other, with our neighbors and with our father Jehovah.
I commented on verse 11 of Hebrews 12:
like this scripture states, no discipline seems to be joyous is so true, we must take into consideration that this goes both ways. The one receiving the discipline may not have joy in getting it and the ones giving the discipline most likely do feel bad about the need to give it. But when it is given scripturally and in love and we receive it in love it will be easier to accept. Staying calm and thinking clearly helps all this to happen.