LIVING AS CHRISTIANS: Week of November 20-26, 2023, “The Bethelites Receive Comfort”, Video: Gerald Grizzle and Sam Roberson: Let us trust in Jehovah, Analysis and Answers.

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS: November 20-26, 2023, “The Bethelites receive comfort”, Video: Gerald Grizzle and Sam Roberson: Let us trust in Jehovah, Analysis and Answers.

“The Bethelites receive comfort” (10 mins.): Analysis with the audience and video.

What difficult situations do Bethelites face?

As we saw in the video, one of those situations is serious health issues, they suffer from depression or sadness.

Some are worried about their elderly parents, and because of this some have had to leave their betel assignment to care for them. And with all this they strive not to let these problems dominate them. 

What four things do the brothers in the video do to provide comfort?

First pray for the brothers. Second, listen to them with your heart. Third, remind them that they are not alone and share with them the Bible how Jehovah reaffirms his love and help. And fourth, making personalized prayers, that is, at the moment they mention the brother's name, because in this way they speak directly to Jehovah.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

First of all, what they do is pray for the brother who they know is going through a difficult time, and they look for some ideas in the Bible that can help him. During the visit, what they do is try to listen with their hearts, really listen. and thus Show compassion.

Then they remind the brother with the Bible that in these difficult times you are not alone, reminding them how Jehovah has always been there for his servants in the most difficult moments, and finally they say a prayer together with the brother and mention his name in the prayer.

What effect has doing this work had on them?

One of the brothers commented that he has felt how Jehovah has taken care of him in these difficult times, especially in moments where he lost loved ones, despite this he was able to receive Jehovah's comfort through the affection of the brothers.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

A great effect, because through this work the Bethelites can feel the great love that Jehovah has for them and how he cares for them, and for their part the brothers who provide this comfort see it as a privilege.

They have been able to feel Jehovah's love for his servants and how he cares for them in difficult times. For example, Brother Grizzle lost many of his loved ones, but because he prayed a lot, he continued studying the Bible and received the affection of the brothers. 

In one of the comments, the brother mentioned that after a vocal cord operation, after losing his voice, he had to write many notes, for a superintendent not being able to speak was something difficult in those six weeks, however, Jehovah helped him Enduring and being able to visit others motivates him, especially seeing the body's interest in governing everyone. And in that way he can continue striving with Jehovah's help to comfort others. 

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Some time ago we interviewed two brothers who have been in Bethel in the United States for many years, Brother Gerald, assistant to the personnel committee, and Brother Sam Roberson, both of whom served many years as traveling overseers before coming to Bethel. Brother Gerald Grizzle has served at Bethel since 1978 and Brother Robertson for almost 20 years, the governing body has assigned them to make pastoring visits to the United States Bethel family pastoring visits, but if they do not need encouragement, What problems can the Bethelites have? Let's see what our brothers say.

Brother Gerald Grizzle What are some difficult situations that Bethelites face? The global Bethel family represents on a small scale all our brothers, with this I mean that as we read in 1 Peter Chapter 5 verse 9, we know that the entire brotherhood is going through the same sufferings, some of our brothers in Bethel are going through due to serious health problems and yet they continue in their assignment, others are worried about their elderly parents, and although they loved betel, some have had to go out to take care of them, and there are also those who go through periods of depression or sadness, but all of these Dear brothers, you have a very nice attitude. You are determined not to allow the problems you are going through to dominate you. Rather, thanks to your faith in Jehovah, you are determined to remain focused on your assignments.

Thanks for explaining this to us. Brother Roberson, how have you managed to console these brothers? When we learn that a Bethelite is going through a difficult time, we do these four things. First of all we pray for the brother and look for some Biblical ideas that can help him in his situation, and all this before the visit. Secondly, during the visit we really listen, I mean we try to listen with our hearts and not just with our ears, we try to feel what he feels, we try to show compassion. 

Then, thirdly, we remind the brother with the Bible in those difficult moments, he is not alone, and we see that this works. For example, recently we visited a brother who was going through a very serious problem, among other things we analyzed with him text of Exodus chapter 3 verse 7 and 12 verse 7, says: Jehovah added, truly I have seen the pain of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their complaints because of those who have enslaved them. And if we look at the end of the verse, we notice something very beautiful, Jehovah does not say I know the sufferings of my servants, he says I know well the sufferings of my servants, and then to give confidence to Moses who at that moment was afraid to show up Before Pharaoh, Jehovah said to him in verse 12, he responded, I will be with you, they are just three words, but with great power.

Jehovah gave Moses this guarantee, the people could be sure that Jehovah was with them, that he supported them and that he was not going to leave their side at any time. How reassuring, right? And fourthly, before finishing the visit we pray together with the brother, and in the prayer we use his name, that helps a lot because we are talking to Jehovah, the great shepherd. In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 the apostle Paul said, brothers, we ask you to comfort the depressed, support the weak, and be patient with everyone, and this is what we strive to do.

Thanks for these interesting ideas. And brother Grizzle, brother Roberson, what effect has that work had on you? Brother Grizzle Please, in these difficult times, I have been able to feel Jehovah's love for his servants. In all these years I have experienced him myself, I have felt how he has taken care of me in difficult times, some time ago I lost my mother, my brother and my father, in a period of one year all three died, and in 2017 I lost To my dear wife, together we served Jehovah faithfully for about 65 years, but I prayed a lot, I studied, I received the affection of the brothers, and thus Jehovah gave me comfort and I am very grateful, because now I have the opportunity to comfort others. 

Very emotional Brother Roberson, what effect has this work had on you? In my case, something that marked me was what happened to me several years ago while Linda and I were serving in the circuit, it turns out that I lost my voice, they had to operate on my vocal cords, and I couldn't speak for six weeks, I felt like a bird without wings, you can imagine what it is like for a circuit overseer not to be able to speak, I have never had to write as many notes as I did in those six weeks. But despite this and other difficult situations that we have experienced similar to Gerard's, Jehovah has always helped us endure.

So it is a privilege for me to share the comfort that Jehovah has given me with many others and as we make these visits, we see the concern of the governing body for everyone including those who have the most responsibilities truly reflect the qualities of Jehovah who is the God of all comfort.

Thank you very much brothers, we truly appreciate your comments, we value the visits you make, but above all we value your example, because we see your endurance, we see how Jehovah has comforted you and we also see what you do to comfort others. Thank you very much.