DAILY TEXT, From today Tuesday January 31, 2023, God fills you with energy giving you both the desire and the strength to act (Filip. 2:13).

Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2023

Wednesday February 1

Jehovah is close to all who call on him (Ps. 145:18).

Jehovah cares deeply about the welfare of all his servants. He is close to each of us and knows when discouragement has invaded us (Ps. 145:18, 19). Let's see how he was aware of the prophet Elijah. This faithful servant of God lived in a difficult time in the history of the people of Israel. Powerful enemies of God cruelly persecuted his servants and were bent on killing Elijah (1 Kings 19:1, 2). Elijah thought he was the only remaining prophet of Jehovah, and this grieved him greatly (1 Kings 19:10). Jehovah immediately did something to help Elijah. He sent an angel to confirm that he was not alone and that there were still many faithful Israelites.—1 Kings 19:5, 18. Lovingly, Jesus confirmed to his disciples that they would have a vast spiritual family (Mark 10:29, 30). And our heavenly Father, Jehovah, promises to support those who serve him (Ps. 9:10). w21.06 8, 9 pars. 3. 4.

WHAT CAN WE DO IF WE FEEL LONELY?

Why is it good for us to think about how Jehovah is helping us?

Think about how Jehovah is helping us (Ps. 55:22). This will help us see things with balance. A single sister named Carol,b who is the only Witness in her family, says: “The thing that really helps me not to feel alone is thinking about how Jehovah has supported me when I have had difficulties. That confirms to me that Jehovah will not abandon me in the future.”

How can 1 Peter 5:9, 10 encourage those who feel lonely?

Think about how Jehovah is helping other brothers who feel lonely (read 1 Peter 5:9, 10). Hiroshi, a brother who for years has been the only Witness in his family, says: “In the congregation, it is easy to see that no one has perfect circumstances. Knowing that we are all giving our best to Jehovah encourages those of us who do not have a family in the truth.”

How does prayer help you?

Maintain a good spiritual routine. It is important that we open our hearts to Jehovah and tell him how we feel (1 Pet. 5:7). Here is what Massiel, a young sister whose family turned their backs on her when she decided to serve Jehovah, says: “One of the things that helped me the most to deal with feelings of loneliness was praying with all my might to Jehovah. He was a true Father to me. I talked to him every day, many times a day, and expressed my feelings to him."

How does reading and meditating on God's Word help you?

It is also important to read God's Word regularly and ponder stories that remind us of how much Jehovah loves us. Bianca, a sister who has to deal with negative comments from her family, says: “It helps me a lot to read Bible stories and biographies of Jehovah's servants who have experienced similar problems and to meditate on what I read.” Some brothers memorize texts that are encouraging, such as Psalm 27:10 and Isaiah 41:10. Others prepare for meetings or do their Bible reading using the audio recordings. They have found that this helps them feel less alone.

How does going to meetings benefit you?

We should strive to attend meetings regularly, as they encourage us and give us the opportunity to get to know the brothers better (Heb. 10:24, 25). Massiel, mentioned in paragraph 7, recounts: “Although I was very shy, I made it a point to attend all the meetings and give a comment. This helped me feel like I was part of the congregation.”

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