People who appear confident or forthright are not necessarily proud. (John 1:46, 47) Yet, whether we are outgoing or not, all of us must work at developing a humble heart condition. Consider the example of the apostle Paul. He was used mightily by Jehovah to establish new congregations in one city after another. He may even have accomplished more in the ministry than any other apostle of Jesus Christ. Yet, Paul did not elevate himself among his brothers. He correctly attributed his fine standing with Jehovah, not to his own qualities or works, but to God’s undeserved kindness. (1 Cor. 15:10) What a fine lesson in humility Paul gave in his letter to the Corinthians​—especially when we recall that some men in the congregation were seeking to prove themselves to be superior to Paul!​—2 Cor. 10:10. w19.09 3 ¶5-6

One reason why we might find it a challenge to submit to Jehovah is that we all inherited sin and are imperfect. So we have rebellious tendencies. After Adam and Eve rebelled against God and ate the forbidden fruit, they set their own standards. (Gen. 3:22) Today, most of mankind still prefer to ignore Jehovah and decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. Even those who know and love Jehovah may struggle to submit fully to him. The apostle Paul faced this challenge. (Rom. 7:21-23) Like Paul, we want to do what is right in Jehovah’s eyes. But we must constantly fight the tendency to do wrong things. Another reason why it can be a challenge to submit to Jehovah is that we are influenced by the culture in which we were raised. Many human ideas are in conflict with Jehovah’s will, and it can be a constant struggle to free ourselves from common ways of thinking. w19.09 15 ¶4-6

We must be realistic. Each of us has a certain amount of energy. So we must be careful about what we take on. For example, we could waste energy trying to gather material possessions. Note what Jesus said to a rich young man who asked him: “What must I do to inherit everlasting life?” He must have been a decent man because Mark’s Gospel account specifically states that Jesus “felt love for him.” Jesus presented the young ruler with the invitation above. The man was torn, but it appears that he could not let go of his “many possessions.” (Mark 10:17-22) As a result, he rejected the yoke that Jesus had offered him and continued to slave “for Riches.” (Matt. 6:24) What choice would you have made? From time to time, it is good for us to reassess our priorities in life. Why? So that we can make sure that we are using our energy wisely. w19.09 24 ¶17-18