Study From The Watchtower, Week of December 5 to 11, 2022, You can be truly happy, Underlined Answers.

Study From The Watchtower, 5-11-December 2022, You can be truly happy, Underlined Answers.

"Happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways" (Ps. 128:1).

Yellow: Direct Answer.

Dark Yellow: Additional Answer.

Light Blue: Additional Points.

1. What are our “spiritual needs”, and how do they relate to our happiness?

 True HAPPINESS is not a simple fleeting joy . It can last a lifetime. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave the key to achieve it. He said: “Happy are those who recognize their spiritual needs” (Matt. 5:3). He knew that human beings were made with an intense desire to know and worship our Creator, Jehovah. That's what the Bible means when it talks about our "spiritual needs." And because Jehovah is the “happy God,” those of us who serve him can also be happy.—1 Tim. 1:11.

2, 3. a) Who else did Jesus say can be happy? b) What will we see in this article, and why is it necessary for us to talk about it?

2 Is it necessary to have the ideal circumstances in life to be happy? No. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said something amazing. a). He affirmed that “those who grieve” can be happy even when they feel very guilty about their sins or are going through very difficult circumstances. Furthermore, he said that “those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake” or suffer insults for being his disciples can also be happy (Matt. 5:4, 10, 11). But how can you be truly happy in such circumstances?

3b  ). Jesus taught that true happiness does not depend on having the ideal circumstances in life, but rather on taking care of our spiritual needs and drawing closer to God (James 4:8). How do we achieve that? In this article we will analyze three important steps that will help us to be truly happy.

ILLUSTRATION

"Happy are those who have been persecuted for justice's sake" (Matt. 5:10). (See paragraphs 2 and 3). 

 LET US FEED IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE

4. What is the first step to be truly happy? (Psalm 1:1-3)

4 FIRST STEP: To be truly happy, we must feed ourselves in a spiritual sense. In order to continue living, humans and animals need physical food. But only humans can feed ourselves in a spiritual sense, and we need to. For that reason, Jesus said: "Man should not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord" (Matt. 4:4). Therefore, let us not let a single day go by without feeding on the precious Word of God, the Bible. The psalmist indicated: “Happy the man . . . who enjoys the law of Jehovah; day and night he reads the law from him ”(read Psalm 1: 1-3).

5, 6. (a) What can we learn from the Bible? b) How does reading the Bible help us?

5 As Jehovah loves us, he tells us in the Bible a).  What can we do to achieve happiness? For example, he teaches us why he gave us life, how we can be his friends, and what we must do to get him to forgive us of our sins. He also tells us of the precious future that he promises us (Jer. 29:11). Knowing these truths through the study of the Bible fills our hearts with happiness.

6b ). As we know, the Bible contains many useful tips for life. When we follow them, we are happy. Therefore, if we feel overwhelmed by problems, spend more time reading Jehovah's Word and meditating on it. Jesus said: "Happy are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice!" (Luke 11:28). 

7. How can we make the most of the time we dedicate to reading the Word of God?

7 As we read God's Word, take time to “savor” it. What does this imply? Let's give an example. Suppose someone prepares us one of our favorite meals. But we are in such a hurry or so many problems in our heads that we swallow it without savoring each bite. When we finish, we realize how fast we ate and we wish we could have slowed down and enjoyed the meal. Something similar can happen to us when reading the Bible. Perhaps we are in such a hurry that we do not have time to "savor" his message. Let's spend time enjoying our reading by imagining the scenes, listening to the voices and meditating on what we have read. If we do all this, we will be happier.

8. How is the “faithful and prudent slave” fulfilling his responsibility? (See also note.)

8 Jesus has entrusted the "faithful and prudent slave" to give us spiritual food at the proper time , and we are very well fed (Matt. 24:45). The main ingredient in everything the faithful slave prepares is the inspired Scriptures (1 Thess. 2:13). This food helps us to know Jehovah's way of thinking, as revealed in the Bible. That is why we read the Watchtower and Awake! magazines and the articles that appear on jw.org. We also prepare for the midweek and weekend meetings, and watch the monthly JW Broadcasting® programs if they are available in our language.Taking advantage of this abundance of spiritual food will help us take the second step that produces true happiness.

WE OBEY JEHOVAH'S RULES

9. What is the second step we must take to be truly happy?

9 STEP TWO: To be truly happy, we must obey Jehovah's standards. A psalm writer said: “Happy is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways” (Ps. 128:1). Fearing Jehovah means that we respect him so much that we don't want to do anything that displeases him (Prov. 16:6). That is why we continue to strive to follow his standards of what is right and what is wrong, which we find in the Bible (2 Cor. 7: 1). If we do what Jehovah loves and avoid what he hates, we will be happy (Ps. 37:27; 97:10; Rom. 12:9).

10. Besides knowing what God's will is, what should we do? (Romans 12:2).

10 (Read Romans 12:2). Perhaps someone knows that Jehovah has the authority to decide what is right and what is wrong, but he must also obey God's standards. Let's make a comparison. A person may know that the government has the right to set speed limits on the highways, but may not be willing to obey those laws. So he drives faster than he should. In our case, our conduct will show whether we truly believe that respecting Jehovah's standards is best (Prov. 12:28). David believed that this was so, because he said to Jehovah: “You make known to me the path of life. In your presence there is great joy; at your right hand there will be happiness forever ′′ (Ps. 16:11).

11, 12. (a) How careful should we be when we are worried or discouraged? (b) How do the words at Philippians 4:8 help us choose entertainment?

11 When we are worried or discouraged, we may look  to a).  some distraction that makes us forget the problems, and that is understandable. But we must be careful not to do anything that Jehovah hates (Eph. 5:10-12, 15-17).

12 In the letter that the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi, he told them to constantly think of things that are just, chaste, virtuous, and loving (see Philippians 4:8). b). Although he wasn't specifically talking about entertainment, his words should guide us when choosing a hobby. Why don't we try the following? Wherever the word “things” appears in that verse, let's replace it with “songs,” “movies,” “books,” or “video games.” This will help us think about which ones God would and would not accept. We want to live up to Jehovah's high standards (Ps. 119:1-3). Thus, with a clear conscience, we can take the next step that will bring us true happiness (Acts 23:1).

LET US PUT THE WORSHIP OF JEHOVAH IN FIRST PLACE

13. What is the third step that will give us true happiness? (John 4:23, 24).

13 THIRD STEP: We must make sure that the worship of Jehovah comes first in our lives. Since Jehovah is our Creator, he deserves our worship (Rev. 4:11; 14:6, 7). So the most important thing in our life should be to worship him as he wishes, "with spirit and with truth" (read John 4:23, 24). We want God's holy spirit to guide our worship so that it is in accordance with the truths of the Bible. Our service to him must be the most important even if we live in a place where our work is restricted or prohibited.Today, more than 100 brothers and sisters are imprisoned simply for being Jehovah's Witnesses. Still, they are happy because they do what they can to pray, study, and tell others about our God and his Kingdom. Even if we are insulted or persecuted, we are happy to know that Jehovah is with us and that he will reward us (Jas. 1:12; 1 Pet. 4:14).

A REAL LIFE EXAMPLE

14. What happened to a young brother from Tajikistan, and why?

14 There are real-life experiences that show that the three steps we've discussed make us genuinely happy, no matter what our circumstances.Take the case of Yovidon Boboyonov, a 19-year-old from Tajikistan. For refusing to do military service, he was forcibly taken from his home on October 4, 2019. They kept him in custody for months and treated him like a criminal. The media in various countries reported on this injustice. They reportedly beat him in an attempt to pressure him into taking a military oath and donning the uniform. After that, he was convicted and sent to a forced labor camp until finally the president of the country granted him clemency and ordered his release. During all this ordeal, Yovidón remained loyal and happy. How did he do it? Always recognizing his spiritual needs.

15. How did Yovidón feed spiritually while he was in jail?

15 When he was in prison, Yovidón was nourished spiritually even though he did not have the Bible or any of our publications. So how did he do it? When the brothers brought him food, they wrote the daily text on the bags. So Yovidón could read the Bible and meditate on it every day. When he was released from prison, he gave this advice to those who have not yet been through very difficult trials: “Make the most of the freedom you now have to draw near to Jehovah . And for that it is very important that they read the Bible and our publications.”

16. What did Yovidón focus on?

16 Our brother Yovidon obeyed Jehovah's regulations. Instead of giving in to bad desires and doing wrong things, he focused on Jehovah and what he considers important. He spent time contemplating God's beautiful creation. Every morning he woke up with the singing of the birds, and at night he stayed looking at the Moon and the stars. He said: “These gifts from Jehovah made me smile and make me feel good.” When we appreciate the spiritual and physical things that Jehovah gives us, we feel happy, and that joy gives us strength to endure.

17. How can 1 Peter 1:6, 7 help someone in a situation like Yovidon's?

17 Yovidon also put the worship of Jehovah first. He knew that it was very important to maintain his integrity. Jesus said: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” (Luke 4:8). The commanders and soldiers wanted Yovidon to renounce faith in him. But he prayed intensely to Jehovah day and night, asking him to help him endure and stay faithful. Despite the injustices he endured, Yovidon did not relent. As a result, he is happy because he has something he did not have before he was taken away, beaten, and imprisoned: faith of proven quality (read 1 Peter 1:6, 7).

ILLUSTRATION 

Series of images by Yovidon Boboyonov. 1. He looks outside through his cell window. 2. Read the daily text written on a bag of groceries. 3. Pray to Jehovah.

Yovidón was nourished in a spiritual sense, obeyed God's rules and put the worship of Jehovah first. (See paragraphs 15 to 17).

18. How can we continue to be happy?

18 Jehovah knows what human beings need to be truly happy. If we follow the three steps that we have discussed in this article, we will continue to be happy despite the problems. Then we can also say: "Happy the people who have Jehovah for their God!" (Ps. 144:15).

HOW DO THE FOLLOWING STEPS HELP US TO BE REALLY HAPPY?

First step: Feed ourselves spiritually.

Knowing these truths through the study of the Bible fills our hearts with happiness.

For example, he helps us by teaching us what he gave us life for, how we can be his friends, and what we must do to be forgiven of our sins. It also tells us about the precious future that it promises us.

This food helps us to know Jehovah's way of thinking, as revealed in the Bible. That is why we read the magazines, The Watchtower and Awake!, and the articles that appear on JW.org. We also prepare for midweek and weekend meetings, and watch the monthly JW Broadcasting® shows.

Second step: Obey Jehovah's rules.

If we do what Jehovah loves and obey Jehovah's rules, we will avoid what he hates, and therefore we will be happy.

Third step: Put the worship of Jehovah first.

It will help us to endure and remain faithful despite the injustices or adverse circumstances that we may be going through.