KEEP ON SERVING JEHOVAH WITH A STEADFAST HEART - You Can Maintain a Steadfast Heart

You Can Maintain a Steadfast Heart

What will help you to maintain a steadfast heart and thus live up to your dedication to God?  With the purpose of taking in ever-increasing knowledge of God's Word, read the Bible daily.  This is something that "the faithful and discreet slave" constantly urges us to do.  Such counsel is given because living up to our dedication requires that we keep on walking  in God's truth.  If Jehovah's organization knowingly endorsed false teachings, advice to read the Bible would never be given to Jehovah's Witnesses and those to whom they preach.

When making decisions, always consider how they may affect the fulfilling of your dedication to Jehovah.  This may relate to your secular work.  Do you endeavor to make it help you in advancing true worship?  Although employers in general find that dedicated Christians are dependable and efficient, they also note that Witnesses of Jehovah are not consumed by ambition to get ahead in the world and are not competing with others for the most lucrative positions.  This is because the goal of the Witnesses is not the attainment of wealth, fame, prestige, or power.  For those  who are living up to their dedication to God, the most important thing is doing the divine will.  A secular job that enables them to obtain life's necessities is an avocation, an occupation of secondary importance.  Like the apostle Paul, their vocation, or chief work, is the Christian ministry.  (Acts 18:3, 4; 2 Thessalonians  3:7, 8; 1 Timothy 5:8)  Do you keep Kingdom interests first in your life? -Matthew 6:25-33.

Some may have been nearly overwhelmed by various anxieties before they learned the truth.  But how their heart welled up with joy, gratitude, and love for God when they embraced the Kingdom hope!  Reflecting on the blessings they have enjoyed since then may well help them to live up to their dedication  to Jehovah.  On the other hand,m what if undue anxiety over problems common to life in this system now threatens to choke out  "the word of God," just as thorns may prevent seedlings from reaching fruitful maturity?  (Luke 8:7, 11, 14; Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:18, 19) If you sense that this is beginning to happen to you or your family, cast your anxiety upon Jehovah and pray that he will help you to grow in love and   appreciation.  If you throw your burden upon him, he will sustain you and give you the strength to keep on serving him happily with a steadfast heart. -Psalm 55:22; Philippians 4:6, 7; Revelation 2:4.

Keep on praying to Jehovah God regularly, even as you prayed when making your dedication to him.  (Psalm 65:2) When tempted to do wrong or when faced  with a severe trial, seek God's guidance and his help to follow it.  Bear in mind the need for faith, for the disciple James wrote:  "If anyone of you is lacking in wisdom  [to cope with a trial], let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and  without reproaching; and it will be given him.  But let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like wave of the sea driven by the wind  and blown about.  In fact, let not hat man suppose that he will receive anything from Jehovah; he is an indecisive man, unsteady in all his ways."  ( James 1:5-8) If a trial seems overwhelming, we can be sure of this:   "No temptation has taken you except what is common to men.  But God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with temptation he will also make the way out in order for you to be able to endure it." -1 Corinthians 10:13.

What if a serious concealed sin is bothering your conscience and weakening your resolve to live up to your dedication to God?  If you are repentant, you can take comfort in the knowledge that Jehovah 'will not despise  a heart broken and crushed.'  (Psalm 51:17)  Seek the help of loving Christian elders, knowing that they -in imitation of Jehovah-will not treat lightly your desire to experience the restoration of a good relationship with your heaven Father.  (Psalm 103:10-14; James 5:13-15) Then with a renewal of spiritual strength and a steadfast heart, you will be able to make straight paths for your feet and find it possible to live up to your dedication to God. -Hebrews 12:12, 13.

Next time:KEEP ON SERVING JEHOVAH WITH A STEADFAST HEART - Keep On Serving With a Steadfast Heart

The Watchtower, 2002