DAILY TEXT, Today Saturday January 11, 2025, If you become discouraged, your strength will fail (Prov. 24:10).

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Saturday January 11, 2025

If you become discouraged, your strength will fail (Prov. 24:10).

One way we burden ourselves with unrealistic expectations is by comparing ourselves to others (Gal. 6:4). If we do, we may end up fostering competition and envying others (Gal. 5:26). When we try to do the same thing that others do, we may demand more from ourselves than we can actually give. Think about this: The Bible says that “expectations that are delayed make the heart sick” (Prov. 13:12). So it will be even more frustrating to wait for something we will never achieve. That could sap our energy and cause us to slow down in our race through life. Do not demand more from yourself than what Jehovah asks of you, because he will never ask you to give him what he does not have (2 Cor. 8:12). Rest assured, Jehovah does not compare you to anyone (Matt. 25:20-23). He values ​​what you do: your wholehearted service, your faithfulness, your endurance. w23.08 29 paras. 10, 11

What will help you avoid having unrealistic expectations?

What will help you lift that heavy burden? Do not demand more from yourself than what Jehovah asks of you, because he will never ask you to give him what he does not have (2 Cor. 8:12). Rest assured, Jehovah does not compare you to anyone (Matt. 25:20-23). He values ​​what you do: your wholehearted service, your faithfulness, your endurance. Modesty will help you recognize that age, health, and certain circumstances may limit what you do now. Be like Barzillai and be willing to reject responsibilities if your health does not allow you to assume them (2 Sam. 19:35, 36). That is, like Moses, accept help and delegate when appropriate (Ex. 18:21, 22). If you are modest, you won't have unrealistic expectations that leave you powerless to keep running.

Are we responsible for the bad decisions that others make?

Feeling responsible for the bad decisions of others. We cannot decide for others nor can we always protect them from the consequences of their bad choices. A child may decide to leave Jehovah, and this can cause parents unspeakable pain. However, parents who blame themselves for their child's poor decision place a heavy burden on themselves, a burden that Jehovah does not expect them to bear (Rom. 14:12).

What can a parent do if their child makes a bad decision?

What will help you lift that heavy burden? Remember that Jehovah has given us all freedom of choice and allows each of us to make our own decisions, including whether or not to serve him. Furthermore, Jehovah knows that you are not perfect. He just wants him to try hard to be a good father. If your child leaves the truth, it is his responsibility, not yours (Prov. 20:11). Despite everything, he may not stop dwelling on the mistakes he made as a father. Tell Jehovah how you feel and ask for forgiveness. He knows there is no way for you to go back and change it. On the other hand, Jehovah does not expect him to free his son from reaping what he sowed, that is, from the consequences of his actions. But remember, if your child strives to return to Jehovah, he will welcome him with open arms ​(Luke 15:18-20).

Why should we remove the burden of excess guilt?

The excess of guilt. When we sin, it is normal to feel guilty. But feeling too much guilt is a burden that Jehovah does not want us to carry, it is a weight that we must lift off our shoulders. How do we know if our feelings of guilt are excessive? If we already confess the sin, repent, and are trying not to commit it again, we can be sure that Jehovah has forgiven us (Acts 3:19). Once we have taken those steps, Jehovah wants us to free ourselves from guilt because he knows that feeling this way for a long time can cause us great harm (Ps. 31:10). If we let sadness weigh us down, we may give up and abandon the race for life (2 Cor. 2:7).

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