SA48 - You Can Remain
Confident During Uncertain Times

Jule had been through so much in her life, but she was a survivor. Despite having a child out of wedlock, she was determined not to become a statistic. When she discovered her boyfriend cheating, it served as the motivation she needed to move out and pursue a life raising her child as a single parent.

As time passed, amid the ups and downs of life, she embarked on a study of the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. There, she found the safety and family she and her daughter needed to navigate the challenges of what she considered a modern lifestyle. What appealed to Jule most about the Witnesses was their perspective on the pervasive desire for material prosperity in the world. They believed that Satan encourages the notion that money equals happiness, and through this view, commercialism flourishes as advertising promotes a lifestyle centered on possessions and leisure. Jule had always despised the constant societal pressure to "better" oneself according to worldly standards rather than God's.

In time, Jule became a faithful believer in Jehovah, and a series of unexpected turns in her life would soon test the depth of her faith.

The first trial emerged as a financial crisis. Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, Jule found herself drowning in debts and bills. Amidst the relentless pressures of the financial crisis, she was on the brink of emotional exhaustion. One evening, after a disheartening encounter with overdue bills and the looming threat of eviction, Jule reached a breaking point. As her daughter carelessly interrupted her while she was writing a letter to her landlord to plead for more time to pay the past due rent, Jule, overwhelmed by frustration and anxiety, snapped at her in a moment of uncharacteristic anger. As her daughter recoiled in disbelief, Jule immediately regretted her outburst, realizing the toll this crisis was taking on her emotional well-being and her relationship with her daughter.

Distraught and seeking solace, she finally confided in a good friend, Lisa, who instantly recognized the urgency of the situation. Lisa gently guided Jule to a quiet space, where she opened the Bible and shared comforting scriptures that Jule, due to anxiety, had failed to consider. They read about God's love, compassion, and the promise of divine assistance in times of distress. Humbly seeking assistance from Jehovah in prayer, Jule surrendered her worries to the Almighty. Through the soothing words of the scriptures, she found solace and felt Jehovah’s empathetic presence, serving as a reminder of the enduring support and trust he provides during life's most challenging moments.

To her surprise, the next day, her boss called her into his office with a job opportunity that offered a significant pay increase. He made it clear that this had been in the works for months, and they were finally in a position to move forward in this new, exciting direction. Jule wondered if this was God’s intervention in her life. Slowly, she began to taste and see the goodness of Jehovah, but the thought lingered that her boss might have offered it to her anyway. Although this was a small trial, it set the stage for what was to come.

Many months passed, and the second trial arrived, even more challenging. Jule's daughter fell seriously ill, and despite numerous visits to the doctors, they couldn't diagnose the cause. Jule was overwhelmed by guilt for not being fully present for her daughter due to the myriad of responsibilities of single parenthood. Slowly, the uncertainty and fear threatened to consume Jule, but this time, she turned to God more readily. She prayed fervently for her daughter's healing, begging Jehovah to relieve her of the guilt she felt. She prayed morning, noon, and night, yet a lingering temptation tugged at her heart, urging her to take matters into her own hands.

Jule researched medical treatments, consulted various specialists, and considered every possible solution within her reach. Every day from her office, she would place a new call to a specialist, providing a detailed narrative of her daughter's symptoms, causes, and reactions. Though encouraged to stop by for a consultation, the specialists relayed nothing but false hope that her daughter could be cured. Jule felt herself slipping into despair, and then she realized that same feeling she had when she was on the cusp of being evicted from her home. Instantly, she saw the need to release control and place her trust fully in Jehovah. It was a struggle, but she chose to completely rely on God's power and wisdom rather than her own understanding.

As the trial unfolded, Jule experienced a peace that truly surpassed all understanding, and even as her daughter’s health continued to deteriorate, she remained calm, assuring her that Jehovah’s got this! To her amazement, she received a phone call from one of the specialists she had called months earlier. He had recently seen other cases like her daughter's and gave her a suggestion that almost immediately began to improve her daughter’s condition. It was from that phone call that she was able to provide her local doctors with the necessary information that allowed them to finally identify a treatable condition. Jule saw God's hand working, but she wondered if it was the call she had made many months earlier. Yes, her journey of fully tasting Jehovah wasn't over yet.

Almost a year later, the third trial arrived, the most formidable. Jule faced a potentially life-threatening situation, and the magnitude of the challenge tested every fiber of her faith. This time, however, Jule leaned on Jehovah from the start. She wasn’t going to anyone but him. In the face of adversity, she turned to prayer without hesitation, surrendering her fears and uncertainties.

Right from the start, she saw Jehovah’s hand at work. She marveled at the quickness, speed, power, and greatness that He provided. As she looked back at some of her other trials, she felt that they were minor in comparison to what she currently faced. Yes, the growth she had undergone through the smaller trials, through trusting him, had been inversely proportional to the size of the challenge. In the simplest matters, she had struggled, but in the face of life's greatest uncertainties, she now found unparalleled trust.

As Jule stood on the precipice of her most formidable challenge, a profound sense of honor washed over her. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, she realized that this trial was an opportunity to fully "taste and see that Jehovah is good," as Psalms 34:8 had proclaimed. Despite the difficulties, Jule felt a deep conviction that, as one of Jehovah's servants, she would experience His mighty protective hand and the promised "peace of God that surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7). In this moment of profound testing, Jule embraced the challenge with gratitude, knowing that it was a chance to witness Jehovah's unwavering goodness and the peace that could only come from placing her trust completely in Him.

When we create an opportunity to see Jehovah’s hand in our life, we may be surprised at how well things turn out. As a result, our confidence in Jehovah grows stronger.

How do we know that God is real? One way is that he demonstrates his miraculous power to us constantly in so many (unnoticed) ways. But if it’s unnoticed, how do we know it’s him? David said in Psalms 34:8 to “taste and see that Jehovah is good; happy is the man that takes refuge in him.” Serving Jehovah may often expose one to reproach and persecution and misfortune. Because of this, some may hesitate to offer themselves completely in service to Him. So, when David urges us to “taste and see that Jehovah is good,” He knew that despite the difficulties that may be encountered, God’s servants would realize Jehovah’s mighty protective hand and “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

In this scripture, Paul says that through prayer, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and our mental powers. The study note explains that the peace of God refers to the calmness and tranquility of mind that results from a Christian’s precious relationship they enjoy with Jehovah God, even in the face of turbulent and troublesome circumstances. A peace that does not come through mere meditation or personal effort but rather, one that is given by Jehovah God himself, “the God of peace.”

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.