Watchtower Study, Week of December 8-14, 2025, Jehovah Is Our “Greatest Joy”, Underlined Answers.

Watchtower Study, December 8-14, 2025, Jehovah Is Our “Greatest Joy”, Underlined Answers.

Yellow: Direct Response

Light Yellow:Additional Response

Celeste:Additional Points

“I will go [...] to God, my greatest joy” (Ps. 43:4).

1, 2. a) How do many people feel today? b) What will we see in this article?

In the world we live in, people are obsessed with the idea of ​​being happy. But, despite their efforts, the happiness they achieve is fleeting. What’s more, many feel terribly sad and empty. And some of Jehovah’s servants may feel that way too. Since we are living “in the last days,” we have to cope with situations and emotions that are “hard to bear.” (2 Tim. 3:1)

2 In this article, we'll see what things can steal our joy and what we can do to get it back. But first, let's talk about who can give us true happiness.

WHO CAN GIVE US TRUE HAPPINESS

3. What does creation teach us about Jehovah? (See also the pictures.)

3 Jehovah has always been happy and wants us to be happy too. That is why he has created so many things that fill us with joy, such as our beautiful planet, a vast array of colors, delicious foods, and animals that make us laugh with their playful antics. Without a doubt, Jehovah loves us and wants us to enjoy life.

ILLUSTRATION

Images of various animals playing: 1. A baby elephant splashing in the water. 2. Penguin chicks taking clumsy steps in the snow. 3. Two goat kids happily skipping in the field. 4. Two dolphins performing acrobatics above the water.

When we see animals playing, we are reminded that Jehovah is the happy God. (See paragraph 3.)

4. (a) Why is Jehovah happy despite all the suffering he sees in the world? (b) What does Jehovah do for us? (Psalm 16:11)

4 Although Jehovah is the “happy God,” he is very aware of all the suffering in the world. (1 Tim. 1:11). But he doesn't let that steal his joy. He knows that all this suffering is temporary; in fact, he himself has set an expiration date for it. And he patiently awaits the day when all the pain and sadness will end forever. Meanwhile, he is very attentive to how we feel and does something for us: he helps us to be joyful and happy (Read Psalm 16:11). Let's see how He did that with His Son, Jesus.

5, 6. Why is Jesus happy?

5 After Jehovah, the happiest person alive is Jesus. Why? One reason is that “he is the image of the invisible God” and perfectly reflects all the qualities of his Father. (Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 6:15). Another reason is that he has spent more time with Jehovah than anyone else, the only source of true happiness.

6 Furthermore, Jesus feels happy because he always does what his Father wants him to do. (Prov. 8:30, 31; John 8:29). Because of his obedience, he has Jehovah’s favor and approval (Matt. 3:17).

7. What do we have to do to feel truly happy?

7 We too can find true happiness by drawing ever closer to Jehovah. The more time we spend learning about him, the better we will imitate him and the happier we will be. Another thing that fills us with joy is doing His will and knowing that we have His approval (Psalm 33:12). Even so, there may be times or seasons in our lives when we feel we have lost our joy. Does that mean we no longer have God's approval? Of course not. Jehovah understands that we are imperfect and that we sometimes feel pain, sadness, and depression (Psalm 103:14). Let us now see what things are like thieves that can steal our joy and what we can do to recover it.

DON'T LET ANYTHING STEAL YOUR JOY

8. How can life's problems affect us?

8 Thief number 1: the problems of life. Perhaps we are suffering because of persecution, a natural disaster, poverty, illness, or old age. These situations can rob us of joy, especially if we can do nothing to change things. The Bible says that “a troubled heart crushes the spirit” (Prov. 15:13). Let's consider the case of an elderly man named Babis, who lost his brother and his parents in just four years. He recounts how he felt while they were still alive: “I felt alone and that no one could help me. I had to deal with so many things that it broke my heart not to be able to spend as much time with them as I wanted.” As we can see, life's blows can sink us physically and emotionally.

9. What can we do to regain joy? (Jeremiah 29:4-7, 10).

9. What can we do to regain joy? Be realistic and be grateful. The world promotes the idea that to be happy our lives have to be perfect, but that's not true. For example, Jehovah told the exiled Jews in Babylon that, even though the situation was difficult, they should try to accept it and cope with it as best they could. (Read Jeremiah 29:4-7, 10). What can you learn? Try to accept your circumstances as they are and be grateful for the good things you have. And remember that Jehovah is by your side and will help you. (Psalm 63:7; 146:5) A sister named Efi, who became paralyzed as a result of an accident, says: “Jehovah, my family, and the congregation helped and supported me tremendously. I feel that giving up would be ungrateful to them, so I strive to maintain a positive and cheerful attitude.”

10. Why can we maintain joy even when we have problems?

10 Even when our life isn't ideal or terrible things happen to us or our family, we can maintain our joy (Psalm 126:5). Why? Because our happiness doesn't depend on our circumstances. A pioneer named Maria says: “When we go through problems, we don’t lose our joy because we keep Jehovah’s promises in mind. That doesn’t mean we can’t cry or express our feelings. But our Father helps us to remain happy no matter what.” Even though life is very difficult now, let us remember that all our problems are as temporary as footprints on the seashore that the water washes away without a trace. Soon, Jehovah will do the same with our problems.

11. How does the example of the apostle Paul encourage you?

11 What if we start thinking that we have problems because we have lost Jehovah's approval? Something that can help us is to meditate on faithful servants of Jehovah who faced very difficult situations. Consider, for example, the apostle Paul. Jesus himself entrusted him with a vital task: to bring the truth “to the nations, as well as to kings and to the sons of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Yet, Paul’s life was filled with difficulties (2 Cor. 11:23-27). Does that mean he had lost God’s approval? Of course not! The very fact that he endured was proof that Jehovah was with him (Rom. 5:3-5). Now consider your own situation. Since you are faithfully enduring despite all your problems, you can be sure that you have Jehovah's approval.

12. Why might unmet expectations steal our joy?

12 Thief number 2: expectations that are not met (Prov. 13:12). As Jehovah's servants, we set goals to show him our love and gratitude. However, these goals must be adapted to our circumstances. If they are unrealistic, we could become discouraged. (Prov. 17:22). A pioneer named Holly explains: “I wanted to go to the School for Kingdom Evangelizers, serve abroad, or work on the Ramapo construction project. But my circumstances changed, and I was very sad that I couldn’t achieve any of those goals. It's very frustrating wanting to do things but not being able to. Many siblings feel the same way.

13. If our circumstances do not allow us to do as much as we would like, what goals are within our reach?

13 What can we do to regain joy? Remember that Jehovah is not demanding and does not ask more of us than we can do. What makes his servants valuable to him is not the responsibilities we have, but our fine qualities. What we are on the inside matters more than what we do in our service to Jehovah. He wants us to be humble and faithful (Mic. 6:8; 1 Cor. 4:2). So, would it be reasonable to demand more of ourselves than what Jehovah asks of us? Of course not. So, if your circumstances don't allow you to do as much as you'd like, try to focus on what you can do. For example, could you befriend a young person in the congregation to help them progress? Could you be a support to older brothers and sisters? Could you set a goal to encourage someone, whether in person, by phone, or with messages? If you look for ways within your reach to help others, Jehovah will bless your efforts. And just think that very soon, in the new world, we will be able to do so much more for Jehovah—things we can't even imagine now. Holly, mentioned in the preceding paragraph, says: “When I feel a little discouraged, I stop and think and remind myself that I have all eternity ahead of me. I have some goals set for the new world, and Jehovah will help me to accomplish them.”

14. What else can steal our joy?

14 Thief number 3: Focusing only on yourself and your desires. Some use social media to promote the idea that the key to being happy and fulfilled is to travel, go shopping, dedicate yourself to your hobbies and give yourself all the treats you can. It's not wrong to enjoy what we like. After all, Jehovah created us that way. However, many people have found that the things they thought would bring them happiness have actually stolen it from them. A pioneer named Eve says, “When you focus only on yourself and your desires, you are never satisfied; you always want more.” This attitude leads to sadness and disappointment.

15. What does what happened to King Solomon teach us?

15 Let us think about what happened to King Solomon. He wanted to see if he could find happiness by focusing on satisfying his personal desires. So he indulged in good food and music, and all the luxuries of his time. What was the result? He ended up so disappointed that he wrote: “The eye is not satisfied with what it sees, nor the ear filled with what it hears.” (Ecl. 1:8; 2:1-11). The world's ideas about how to achieve true happiness are like counterfeit money: they seem to have value but are actually worthless.

16. Why will we be happy if we do things for others? (See also the images).

16 What can we do to regain joy? Jesus taught us that “there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving” (Acts 20:35). An elderly man named Alekos explains: “I focus on doing simple things for others. The more I think about others, the less I think about myself, and that makes me happy.” What can you do for others? If you know someone going through a difficult time, try to encourage them. You may not be able to solve their problems, but you will do them a lot of good by listening empathetically, showing compassion, and reminding them that they can confide in Jehovah (Ps. 55:22; 68:19). It is also good to reassure them that Jehovah has not abandoned them (Ps. 37:28; Isa. 59:1). You could even offer to cook them a meal or take them for a walk. Invite them to preach with you; that will surely lift their spirits. By focusing on others and not on yourself, you will be like a tool in Jehovah's hands and you will also feel truly happy. (Prov. 11:25).

ILLUSTRATION

Series of images: 1. A sister sitting in a cafe with several shopping bags around her, looking at her phone. 2. A sister visits an older sister at her home and, with a smile, gives her a bouquet of flowers.

Instead of focusing on your own desires, do things for others. (See paragraph 16.)

17. If we want to feel truly happy, what should we do? (Psalm 43:4).

17 We can feel truly happy if we draw ever closer to our heavenly Father. The Bible says that Jehovah is our “greatest joy.” (lee Salmo 43:4). So, no matter what problems we may have, we can be at peace. Let us always cling to Jehovah, and he will help us to be happy for all eternity. (Ps. 144:15).

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

Why are Jehovah and Jesus happy?

Jehovah is happy because, although he is well aware of all the suffering in the world, he does not let it rob him of his joy. He knows that all that suffering is temporary; in fact, he himself has set an expiration date for it. And he patiently awaits the day when all pain and sorrow will be put to an end forever.

Jesus is happy because “he is the image of the invisible God” and perfectly reflects all of his Father’s qualities. Another reason is that he has spent more time with Jehovah, the only source of true happiness, than anyone else. Furthermore, Jesus is happy because he always does what his Father wants him to do.

What three “thieves” can steal our joy?

Thief number 1: life's problems. The Bible says that “a troubled heart crushes the spirit.”

Thief number 2: Unmet expectations. As Jehovah's servants, we set goals to show him our love and gratitude. However, these goals must be adapted to our circumstances, because if they are unrealistic, we could become discouraged.

Thief number 3: Focusing only on yourself and your desires. It's not wrong to enjoy what we like; after all, Jehovah created us that way. However, many people have found that the things they thought would bring them happiness have actually stolen it from them.

What can we do to regain joy?

Jesus taught us that “there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” We can do simple things for others; for example, if we know someone going through a difficult time, we try to encourage them, show them compassion, and remind them that they can confide in Jehovah. By focusing on others and not on ourselves, we become like a tool in Jehovah’s hands and, moreover, we will feel truly happy.