Tuesday, April 23
Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let them shrink out of fear.—John 14:27.
There is a kind of peace that this world knows nothing about. It is “the peace of God,” the calmness that comes from having a precious relationship with our heavenly Father. When we have the peace of God, we feel secure. (Phil. 4:6, 7) We enjoy close friendships with others who love him. And we enjoy a warm, personal relationship with “the God of peace.” (1 Thess. 5:23) When we know, trust, and obey our Father, the peace of God can calm our anxious heart when we are facing a troubling situation. Is it really possible to find the peace of God when we are faced with a crisis, such as a disease outbreak, a disaster, civil unrest, or persecution? Any one of these crises can fill us with fear. Happily, brothers and sisters have followed Jesus’ advice as mentioned in today’s text. With Jehovah’s help, they have been able to find peace while coping with severe trials. w22.12 16 ¶1-2
Wednesday, April 24
Be aglow with the spirit. Slave for Jehovah.—Rom. 12:11.
We cannot control everything that happens in our life. Therefore, it is important that we do not measure our value by the privileges of service that we enjoy or compare our privileges with those that others enjoy. (Gal. 6:4) It is important that we look for ways in which we can be useful. Make yourself available for privileges of service by keeping your life simple and avoiding unnecessary debt. Set intermediate goals that will help you reach your long-term goals. For example, if your long-term goal is to become a regular pioneer, could you serve as a continuous auxiliary pioneer at present? If your goal is to serve as a ministerial servant, could you spend more time in field service? The experience you gain now may open the door to further privileges of service in the future. Be determined to do your best in any assignment you are given. w22.04 26 ¶16-17
Thursday, April 25
I love Jehovah because he hears my voice, my pleas for help.—Ps. 116:1.
Jehovah can help us to cope with the challenges in our life and to find joy in our sacred service. When we approach our God about a matter that concerns us, Jehovah’s immediate response may be to give us the strength to cope with the situation. And if our trial does not end as soon as we had hoped, we may need to ask Jehovah repeatedly for the strength to endure it. He invites us to do so. That is implied by these words of Isaiah: “Do not give [Jehovah] any rest.” (Isa. 62:7) What does that mean? Our prayers to Jehovah should be so persistent that it is as if we were not allowing Jehovah to rest. Isaiah’s words remind us of Jesus’ illustrations about prayer found at Luke 11:8-10, 13. There Jesus encourages us to “keep on asking” for holy spirit. We can also beg Jehovah to provide the guidance we need in order to make proper decisions. w22.11 8 ¶1; 9 ¶6-7