Watchtower Study, How to Overcome Negative Feelings, Week of March 9-15, 2026, Comments and Responses.

Watchtower Study, How to Overcome Negative Feelings, March 9-15, 2026, Comments and Responses.

“How wretched I am!” (ROM. 7:24).

1, 2. How did the apostle Paul sometimes feel, and why might we be able to identify with him? (Romans 7:21-24).

The apostle Paul sometimes felt bad when he looked back on his past and was frustrated because he had a problem that wasn't getting better. Although he was a faithful Christian, he had an internal struggle between his desire to do God's will and his inclination to do wrong because of his imperfection.

We may identify with Paul because we, too, struggle with negative feelings. Like him, we may be striving to do God's will, yet we fight against the inclination to do wrong. We may also feel frustrated by past failures or by a problem that is slow to resolve.

3. What will we see in this article? (See also the “Main Idea”).

In this article, we'll explore some of the reasons why Paul experienced negative feelings that sometimes made him feel "unhappy," and what helped him cope with those feelings. We'll also see what can help us win our own battle against negative feelings, such as sadness, frustration, or discouragement, that we may experience from time to time.

REASONS WHY PABLO HAD NEGATIVE FEELINGS

4. What is one of the reasons why Pablo had negative feelings?

One of the reasons Paul had negative feelings was that, before becoming a Christian, he had done things he later regretted, such as condoning the murder of Stephen and fiercely persecuting many Christians. This sometimes made him feel guilty when he looked back on his past.

5. How did Pablo feel when he remembered his past?

Looking back on his past, Paul felt guilty, and those feelings may have intensified over the years. His feelings were so strong that they led him to write: “I am not worthy to be called an apostle, for I persecuted the congregation of God,” and he also said that he considered himself “lower than the least of all the saints.”

Furthermore, he acknowledged that before knowing Christ he had been blasphemous, a persecutor, and insolent. It is possible that, upon visiting congregations and encountering Christians he had persecuted or their families, these feelings of guilt and remorse intensified even further.

6. What else caused Paul suffering? (See also the footnote.)

Another thing that caused Paul suffering was something he likened to “a thorn in the flesh,” which caused him great pain. It may have been a physical, emotional, or other kind of problem, but his words made it clear that it caused him profound suffering.

7. How did Paul's imperfections make him feel? (Romans 7:18, 19).

Pablo's imperfections made him very frustrated because he himself recognized that, although he wanted to do the right thing, his imperfect nature pulled him in another direction. Even though he put all his effort into improving, he acknowledged that it was a constant battle and became frustrated when his flaws resurfaced.

WHAT HELPED PABLO DEAL WITH NEGATIVE FEELINGS

8. What did Paul most likely do to fight against his imperfections?

To combat his own imperfections, Paul surely meditated on them, sought guidance in the Scriptures, and took concrete steps to make the necessary changes. Furthermore, we can be certain that he applied to his own life the counsel he gave to others, such as that related to desires and practices that Christians must avoid in order to please Jehovah.

9, 10. What helped Paul to fight against negative feelings? (Ephesians 1:7; see also the picture.)

Paul was helped to combat negative feelings by hearing the good news from his fellow travelers about the congregations. He was happy to have such good friends, and above all, he was pleased to know that he had Jehovah’s approval, which enabled him to serve him “with a clean conscience.”

This joy led him to tell the Christians when he was imprisoned in Rome: “Rejoice always because of the Lord,” which shows that he was not consumed by negative feelings, but focused his mind on positive ideas.

Furthermore, meditating on the ransom helped Paul to fight against negative feelings, viewing it as a gift from Jehovah. In this way, he recognized that Jehovah had forgiven his sins and would continue to do so. Thanks to this, Paul was able to serve God despite his imperfections and past mistakes.

ILLUSTRATION

Series of images: 1. The apostle Paul meditating. 2. He recalls an occasion years earlier when he ordered a guard to forcibly remove a Christian from his home. 3. He meditates on how Jesus died on a torture stake.

Although Paul sometimes felt guilty when he remembered his past, meditating on the rescue was of great help to him. (See paragraphs 9 and 10.)

11. Why does Paul's example encourage us?

Paul’s example encourages us because we may feel a constant struggle within ourselves to control our thoughts, actions, and words, and, like him, we may say: “How wretched I am!” Knowing that we are not alone in this feeling comforts us and reminds us that Jehovah is aware of the difficulties his servants face.

WHAT WILL HELP US IN OUR FIGHT

12. How does maintaining a good program of spiritual activities help us in our fight against negative feelings?

Maintaining a good program of spiritual activities helps us combat negative feelings because it allows us to focus on the positive. Just as in our physical health, when we maintain a healthy lifestyle we generally feel better, something similar happens in our spiritual lives. When we read the Bible daily, attend meetings, prepare for them, and discuss them, we feel very good. Staying spiritually active will allow us to keep negative feelings at bay.

13, 14. How has maintaining a good program of spiritual activities helped some brothers?

Maintaining a good program of spiritual activities has helped some brothers to fight against negative feelings.

Juan, who was battling a rare cancer, explained that despite his exhaustion, he made sure to faithfully follow his schedule of spiritual activities, attending meetings, preaching, and having family worship. This enabled him to avoid being overcome by negative thoughts, and he felt that the strength Jehovah gave him and his love calmed those thoughts.

Eliza says that attending the meetings and doing her personal study convinces her more and more that Jehovah listens to her and loves her very much, which makes her happy.

Nolan and his wife Diane maintain their schedule of spiritual activities even when they feel discouraged. They have found that Jehovah helps them to have the right attitude and assures them that he will help and bless them, even though they do not know how.

15. Explain with an example what else we might need to do to overcome negative feelings.

To overcome negative feelings, we may need to look for information in the Bible and our publications, and, if necessary, consult a mature brother. For example, if we have back pain, walking every day may help a little, but if we want the pain to disappear, we should research the issue and even consult a doctor.

16. What will help us to see why we have negative thoughts? (Psalm 139:1-4, 23, 24).

It will help to ask Jehovah to help us see why we have negative thoughts and how to get rid of them, just as King David did. He knew that Jehovah knew him very well and asked him to help him discover why he was having “distressing thoughts.” In addition, it would be good to ask ourselves the following questions: “What is really bothering me? Is there something that always triggers negative thoughts in me? Do I dwell on these thoughts instead of rejecting them?”

17. What topics should we include in our personal study? (See also the image).

It is good for us to include in our personal study topics such as some facets of Jehovah's personality and to meditate on Jehovah's ransom and forgiveness.

We have tools in our language, such as the Study Guide for Jehovah's Witnesses and the Watch Tower Publications Index, in which we can research topics such as God's mercy, forgiveness, and loyal love.

We can make a list of articles that we find useful, keep it handy, and study them when a negative thought strikes, as well as look for a practical application for our daily lives.

ILLUSTRATION

A young brother is doing his personal Bible study with a tablet and a notebook, and he is writing something down in the Bible.

Let's study topics that will help us get rid of negative thoughts. (See paragraph 17).

18. What study projects have some brothers found helpful?

Some study projects have been helpful to certain brothers and sisters, such as Eliza, who decided to do a study project related to Job. In this way, she feels a strong connection to how Job suffered trial after trial, and although she didn't know why she was going through that suffering, she never stopped relying on Jehovah, even in her worst moments.

Another project involves Diane, who, along with her husband, is studying the book Draw Close to Jehovah. This helps them see Jehovah as a potter molding them like clay. When they feel discouraged by their mistakes, they imagine Jehovah teaching them, shaping them, and helping them to become better.

WE CAN WIN OUR FIGHT

19. How will we feel sometimes, but what can we be sure of?

At times we may feel discouraged or “unhappy,” even if we maintain a good schedule of spiritual activities and a personal study tailored to our needs. But we can be sure that, with Jehovah’s help, these negative thoughts and feelings will not overwhelm us. Moreover, there will be far more good days than bad, because we have Jehovah’s friendship and can serve him with a clear conscience.

20. What do we want to continue doing?

We want to continue doing our best not to let negative feelings arise because of our past, our problems, or our imperfections. With Jehovah’s help, we can keep those feelings in check, and we long for the day when this struggle will be a thing of the past, when in the new world we will wake up every day without anxious thoughts, happy to serve our loving God, Jehovah.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

For what reasons did the apostle Paul sometimes feel "unhappy"?

The apostle Paul sometimes felt “unhappy” because of the things he had done in the past, because of “a thorn in the flesh,” something that caused him much pain, and also because of his own imperfections, since, although he wanted to do what was right, he recognized that his imperfect nature pushed him in another direction.

What helped Paul maintain his joy despite his negative feelings?

Paul was able to maintain his joy, despite his negative feelings, by meditating on the Scriptures and seeking the help of God's Spirit to fight his bad tendencies and improve himself. Furthermore, he applied to his own life the advice he gave to other Christians.

He was also encouraged by the good news he received about the congregations, the friendship of his fellow Christians, and knowing that he had Jehovah's approval and could serve him with a clean conscience.

Something that helped him a lot was meditating on the ransom and seeing it as a personal gift from Jehovah, which convinced him that his sins had been forgiven.

What can we do to fight negative feelings?

To combat negative feelings, we can maintain a good program of spiritual activities. In addition, we can ask Jehovah to help us understand our needs and tailor our personal study accordingly.

To deal with negative feelings, we may need to look for information in the Bible and our publications, and even consult a mature brother.