Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2022
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Their strength will depend on their remaining calm and confident (Isa. 30:15).
How can we show that we trust in Jehovah? Following his lead. In the Bible we find many examples, both good and bad, that highlight the value of staying calm and putting our trust in Jehovah. As you study good examples, note what helped God's servants remain calm when faced with strong opposition. For example, the apostles were not intimidated when the Jewish high court forbade them to continue preaching. Instead, they boldly said, “We must obey God as ruler rather than men” (Acts 5:29). They were not afraid even after they were beaten. Why? Because they knew that Jehovah was on their side and that they had his approval. So they kept preaching the good news (Acts 5:40-42). In the same way, when the disciple Stephen faced death, he was so calm and collected that “his face was like that of an angel” (Acts 6:12-15). Why? Because he was convinced that he had Jehovah's approval. w21.01 4 paras. 10, 11
How is it possible for us to react when we are under a lot of pressure?
When we are under a lot of pressure, we may feel like anxiety is crushing us. For example, we may worry about not earning enough money to meet our needs, or getting sick and not being able to work, or even losing our job. We may also worry about not being loyal when tempted to disobey God. And we may also worry about how we will react when Satan causes the people he controls to attack God's people. We may ask ourselves, "Is it wrong for me to worry about these things?"
What did Jesus mean when he said, “Stop fretting”?
Jesus told his disciples, “Stop worrying” (Matt. 6:25). Did he mean that we shouldn't feel even the slightest bit of anxiety? Of course not. After all, some loyal servants of Jehovah in the past suffered from anxiety and did not lose Jehovah's approval for it (1 Kings 19:4; Ps. 6:3).* Actually, Jesus was reassuring us. I didn't want life's problems to overwhelm us so much that they affected our service to God. So what can we do when we feel anxious? (See sidebar “How to do it.”)
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