How Does Jehovah Help?

So then, if we are suffering from great anxiety and pray to God in full faith, and we show that that faith is genuine by trying to do his will, serving him and helping our neighbors, what kind of help can we expect? It may be that God will completely remove the problem giving rise to our anxiety. That has happened from time to time. Or it may be that he will give us the necessary wisdom to solve the problem ourselves or to see the correct way of handling it. Then we will experience the truth of the Biblical proverb: He that is trusting in his own heart is stupid, but he that is walking in wisdom is the one that will escape.Proverbs 28:26. How can we gain such godly wisdom? Attending meetings of Jehovahs people and reading the Bible and Bible publications are two ways that come to mind. As one Christian mother who suffered a lot of anxiety because of having an alcoholic husband expressed it, Reading The Watchtower and studying it and applying it have helped me the most of all. Hebrews 10:24, 25; Psalm 119:97-104. Or, Jehovah can help us by means of our Christian brothers. One elder received from two persons in his congregation a warm note that read in part: Thank you for the many times you listened to and helped us with our personal problems, encouraged us when we were depressed, visited us when we were sick, came whenever we called and stayed up all night in hospitals when our families needed you. We are grateful to Jehovah to have a brother who cares for us as deeply as you do. Hence, if you have anxieties, why not share them with mature ones in your congregation? Jehovah might help you by means of them, and you will see the truth of the ancient proverb: A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress.Proverbs 17:17. Of course, Jehovah will not always remove the problems that cause our anxiety. But by strengthening us by means of the Bible, the holy spirit or our Christian brothers, he helps us to view the problems correctly and handle them wisely. In this way, we can experience what the apostle Paul said: For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me. (Philippians 4:13) Thus even though the problems are still there, Jehovah God keeps his promise: I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you.Hebrews 13:5. Alma found this to be true. She is a Christian woman who some years ago was in an automobile accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. She has much pain, but the knowledge that God will soon remove sickness and suffering is a comfort and help to her. Meantime, she says: I pray to Jehovah to help me to endure each day. Then, when that day is over, Im one day closer! Alma never misses a meeting of the Christian congregation, and she uses every avenue open to her to share with others the confidence she has in the future. In this way she feels the support of Jehovah as she throws her burdens upon him. Whatever help Jehovah gives, we can be sure it is what is needed, and it is sufficient. The apostle Paul confidently declared: We know that God makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God. (Romans 8:28) Even under great suffering, it is possible to experience Jehovah Gods help. Paul told us: Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:6, 7. Hence, whatever our anxieties or burdens, let us confidently follow the advice of the apostle Peter: Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; while you throw all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you.1 Peter 5:6, 7. WHEN DISTRESSING ANXIETIES HAVE VANISHED So, then, Jehovah God is perfectly capable of bringing distressing anxieties to an end, and this he will surely do. Nineteen centuries ago, the apostle Peter urged fellow Christians to keep Jehovahs day in mind. We, too, need to have confidence in the fulfillment of the apostles next words: But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell. Indeed, we should conduct ourselves with the realization that the day of Jehovah is near, at the doors, and we should be ready for it, for it will mean the removal of the present wicked system of things. Replacing it will be the marvelous new order that God has promised.2 Pet. 3:10-13; Matt. 24:33, 34; Luke 21:34-36. That new system of things will vanquish sorrow, distress and plaguing anxiety. What blessings will then flow to obedient mankind by means of Gods heavenly kingdom under the Messianic King Jesus Christ! When Jesus was on earth as a man, twice he multiplied bread and fish to feed thousands. And there were leftovers. (Mark 6:37-44; 8:1-9) So there will be no anxiety over food and drink under Kingdom rule. What about clothing? No need for anxiety in that case either. After all, Jesus said to his disciples: On the matter of clothing, why are you anxious? Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they are growing; they do not toil, nor do they spin; but I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. If, now, God thus clothes the vegetation of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith? (Matt. 6:28-30) The answer is obvious. God can do itand he will, in the new system he has promised. Will providing adequate shelter then pose a problem? Not for Jehovah God, who prepared a paradise home for our first parents. He certainly can furnish suitable abodes for those trusting in him. And inhabitants of earth in the new system surely

will not enjoy less than what was once foretold for Gods people: They will certainly build houses and have occupancy . . . They will not build and someone else have occupancy. (Isa. 65:21, 22) There will be no reason for anxiety over housing when Gods will is done earth wide. What about poor health, a cause of great anxiety for many? Well, Gods Word assures us that Jehovah is able to remove diseases. (Deut. 7:15) According to one Gospel account, Gods Son, Jesus Christ, cured all who were faring badly; that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: He himself took our sicknesses and carried our diseases. (Matt. 8:16, 17; compare Isaiah 53:4.) Hence, there is no reason for undue anxiety about the removal of maladies under Kingdom rule. But not only did Jesus perform numerous cures; he was able to dispel the distress associated with death. How? By resurrecting persons to life. For instance, think of the great relief from anxiety and grief experienced when he raised the son of the widow of Nain. (Luke 7:11-17) And what happiness there was when Jesus resurrected his friend Lazarus of Bethany! (John 11:1, 30-44) When on earth, Christ gave the assurance that those in the tombs would hear his voice and come out. (John 5:28, 29) Surely, that promise is certain of fulfillment, since Jesus was able to raise the dead when on earth.Acts 24:15. The day of Jehovah will bring wickedness and great anxieties to an end. What a blessing that will be! How grand to live when there will be no anxiety over food, clothing and shelter, when illness will be replaced by radiant health, and when resurrections will replace mankinds march to death! Indeed, it will be a delight to live when distressing anxieties are no more.ARE YOU LOOKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?
4 In view of what the future holds in Gods new order, how shall we regard the things that the world today looks to for security, such as ones home, bank account, job or material comforts? Since Jehovah created humans to enjoy material blessings, would it be wrong to have these things now? No, it could not be said that such things are wrong in themselves. Jehovah created us with the mental, emotional and physical capacity to enjoy good things. And he promises the best of material things in his new order. But at this point in human history, the question is not whether we were made to enjoy material blessings. What is at stake today is our very lives. 5 The evidence from fulfilled Bible prophecy shows that we are very, very late in the last days of this present wicked system of things. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) Soon, God will execute his adverse judgment against it, resulting in a time of unparalleled distress for this world. (Dan. 12:1) Yet, Gods Word shows that there will be a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues who will come out of the great tribulation. (Rev. 7:9, 14) They will survive because of having Gods approval and protection, not because of any material advantage that they may have. Jesus said: Even when a person has an abundance his life does not result from the things he possesses. (Luke 12:15) Eternal life in Gods new order can come only by knowing Jehovah and having his approval.John 17:3.

The situation of people today can be likened to the situation of passengers on a ship. There is nothing wrong with the material benefits that a ship normally affords: the food it carries can be tasty and nourishing; the cabins, warm and comfortable; other services and benefits, enjoyable. But what happens if the ship strikes an object and begins to sink? Consider what happened, for example, to the famous ship Titanic in 1912. Experts had considered the ship unsinkable, says an encyclopedia. But how much true security was there on the Titanic, with all its material benefits, when it struck an iceberg and sank? No security at all. The ship went down with the loss of about 1,500 lives.
8 If you had been on the Titanic, what would you have concerned yourself with after it started to sink? While you would not have condemned the previous material benefits of the ship, you certainly would consider them now absolutely unimportant, would you not? The main thing in this new situation would be the preserving of your life. You would consider someone very foolish, even mentally unbalanced, who then spent all his energies trying to get better accommodations, meals, or other material benefits on the ship when, in a few hours, it would plunge beneath the waves! 9 Soon this present system of things will plunge into destruction. Hence, there is now no true security in it, for no part of it will survive. Gods heavenly kingdom will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms existing today, and only Gods heavenly government will stand to times indefinite. (Dan. 2:44) And since Jesus foretold that at this coming time of judgment from God there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the worlds beginning until now, no, nor will occur again, it is obvious that there will be great loss of life as well as of material possessions.Matt. 24:21. 10 In the year 1977 we are now in the sixty-third year of the time of the end, counting from autumn of the crucial year of 1914. In fulfillment of Bible prophecy, it is obvious from the events of our times that the present wicked system will soon receive its deathblow. What, then, will our attitude be? It all depends. Upon what? It depends upon what we make our goal. If we make our goal eternal life in Gods new order, then we will do everything in our power to search for Jehovah, learn his will, and do it to the best of our circumstances. The material things of the world will not be our main concern. Instead, having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things.1 Tim. 6:8.

How extensive will the destruction of material things be at the coming great tribulation? Only time will tell. But in the examples of Bible history noted above there was huge material loss, which included much material loss to Gods people. That was also the experience in 70 C.E. when Roman armies devastated Jerusalem. The Christians had to abandon their homes earlier, perhaps taking with them only a few things that they could easily carry. (Luke 21:20, 21) What happened to those who would not leave? They lost, not only their homes and possessions to the Romans, but possibly their lives too. The Christians who fled the city, while also suffering the loss of homes and most possessions, escaped with their lives and kept their freedom. So, too, at the coming tribulation, there could be great loss materially. How would you view such personal loss?

17 So think now, in what do you really trust for security? In gold or in God? Where is your mind, and heart, centered on the things of this system or on Gods new order? Do your actions, your way of life, show where you look for security? What a grievous error it would be to look for security in the wrong direction at this late date! As Job 31:24-28 says: If I have put gold as my confidence, or to gold I have said, You are my trust! If I used to rejoice because my property was much, and because my hand had found a lot of things; . . . that too would be an error for attention by the justices, for I should have denied the true God above. 18 In view of the imminent collapse of human systems, and the subsequent vast material loss that could take place, it would be shortsighted indeed not to prepare ourselves for it mentally. If you love life, and want to keep living, do not become attached to any material thing. Valuable things will be of no benefit on the day of fury, but righteousness itself will deliver from death. The one trusting in his richeshe himself will fall; but just like foliage the righteous ones will flourish. (Prov. 11:4, 28) Such righteous ones will be ushered into Gods new order, there to share in the thrilling work of making the entire earth a Paradise, a lovely home where they will enjoy living forever. Having looked in the right direction, these ones will actually dwell in security, with no one to make them tremble.Ezek. 34:28.

Life Can Be Better Now! Many people think the Bible offers a better life only in heaven after death, and that their present life is destined to be as it is. However, the publishers of this magazine receive letters from all over the world showing that thousands of persons have been helped to a better life right now by following the Bible. Consider the following true-life examples. Better Mental Balance A plague of mental illness is sweeping the earth. For example, according to official statistics one out of every three Germans in the Federal Republic has suffered from or is presently suffering from a mental disorder. Worldwide there are 1,000 suicides each day. In the United States, where up to one quarter of the population is said to suffer from mental imbalance, one young woman in New York city complained: My life lacked any significance. For this reason I began to drink heavily and participated in wild parties. Yet rather than this bringing the happiness she so desperately sought, she adds: I became so disgusted with life that I decided to commit suicide. With this in mind, I obtained a bottle of barbiturates to mix with alcohol. That night, reveals the woman, I prayed to God and told myself that if God really exists, he should stop me from taking my life. It was at this precise moment that somebody knocked at my door. A lady offered to study the Bible with me. My initial reaction, she confessed, was that I slammed the door in her face. However, realizing what I had done, I went after the lady and begged her not to leave me. I then made arrangements to study the Bible with this woman who was one of Jehovahs Witnesses. From the Bible she learned of a Creator who takes a personal interest in each of us. Throw all your anxiety upon [God], says the Bible, because he cares for you. (1 Pet. 5:7) He promises to rid the earth of wickedness soon and to establish a new earth wherein will be an abundance of peace.2 Pet. 3:13; Ps. 37:10, 11. Such knowledge brought meaning into this young womans life. She now had self-esteem and hope for the future. After studying for two years she concluded: My life is now filled with real joy and significance. Not everyone receives an answer to prayer as quickly as this woman did. But God is not far off from each one who turns to him with a desire to know his will and he does answer such sincere pleas for help.Acts 17:26, 27. Coping with Bad Health All my life I had been weak in health, wrote an older man from Sweden who had suffered through the Spanish flu, several operations and presently was distressed by an eye defect. The turning point in my ability to cope with my bad health, beamed this elderly man, came when I was only 22. Your magazine [Awake!] helped me to turn to the Bible. From the Bible he learned that soon God will remove permanently all sicknesses from the earth. (Rev. 21:1, 3, 4) Since that time, continued the man, I have experienced years of happiness, for despite my many physical handicaps I have a real hope for the future. Also, Im accomplishing something, as I have been able to help many others to get the same bright outlook on life. Thousands of similar cases prove that the Bible can fill ones life with hope and meaningful activities. This really helps one to endure sickness cheerfully. Better Habits A habit, it has been said, may at first be but as the spiders web, easily broken through, but, if not resisted, it soon binds us with chains of steel. How many are those held back from a better life by such chains of steel, bad habits, such as drunkenness, drug abuse, gluttony, thievery and others! I was listed as wanted by 18 police centers, began a young man in Spain. His bad habits included street fighting, drug abuse and drunkenness; he also forged checks and engaged in illegal gambling and drug trafficking. He was in and out of jail. He read one of the Bible publications of Jehovahs Witnesses and saw the need to change if he wanted to be happier. But it wasnt easy for me to change. All I wanted were revelries and kicks, he admitted; yet he hated the kind of person he had become. I had many ups and downs. On one occasion, in frustration, I ripped up a Bible and threw it against the wall.

Nevertheless, the Bibles counsel gradually began to reach his heart. With the help of Jehovah God I have changed completely, concluded this man. Now, not only can he live with himself, but he even assists others to make similar changes. Better Family Life One newly married man became fed up with his family life and walked out after 18 months of marriage. He then searched the world for happiness. After seven years, which included living in a hippie commune and indulging in drug abuse, he felt that his life was a failure and attempted suicide a number of times. It was then while in Australia that I was contacted by one of Jehovahs Witnesses who was kind to me both materially and spiritually, reported this young man. He began to study the Bible with the Witness and was shown from the Bible how he could have a successful marriage. He was convinced it would work, so he contacted his wife. Noting his changed way of life, she decided to join him. Now the two of them live by the Bible and declare: We are both happy and have a very contented homelife.Eph. 5:33. Better Economy We figured out we spent more money on smoking, drinking and gambling per month than on housing, food and clothing for our family. Our smoking habits alone cost us more than the rent for our cramped housing, admitted one couple in Sweden. A Bible study with Jehovahs Witnesses motivated us to quit our excessive habits, continued this couple, who now had gained an inner harmony by cultivating self-control. We now have a larger flat, we eat better, dress better, feel better, sleep better, and we have both money and energy left for more spiritually and physically uplifting activities. Countless others world wide have been assisted similarly. Additionally, Bible guidelines concerning honesty, industriousness and contentment have helped many to attain a better life economically as these became trusted and valued employees. By learning not to love money, but to respect it, they make better use of it. As the Swedish couple concluded: That God-given book brings balance to everything in life.Heb. 13:5, 18; compare Proverbs 18:9. These preceding cases show how the Bible can help a person to enjoy a better life now. But you may think: Those were exceptional persons. I could never, by simply reading the Bible, make all those changes. Neither could they. More was involved. Peace and Brotherhood The persons referred to above all received free personal help from Jehovahs Witnesses. One American newspaper called their organization a model of peace and brotherhood. Association with these people was a forceful incentive to imitate their good conduct. One young American woman testifies to the value of such association. Her former life-style included drinking at bars, smoking pot and fighting. I was just mean, she said, and tells why. Never underestimate what bad associations can do! Her friends brought out the worst in her. Then she and her husband began to study the Bible and enjoy the company of Jehovahs Witnesses. I got rid of my hang-ups and developed a good conscience, she reports. We found that we dont need our old associations anymore, because we have hundreds of new faithful friends that we can trust. This is not to say that this organization of people is perfect. But at least they are trying hard to live by the Bible, and the results are notable. Yet, even if we enjoy a better life now, it is not perfect. Try as we may, we still make mistakes and at times lose our selfcontrol. Additionally, sickness and death can bring to us unavoidable pain. We also struggle against a bad environment. Will the time ever come when our lives will be completely happy? A Better LifeJust A Dream? My lives are ruined, confessed Ronald, a 47-year-old who for six years led a double life. His life was now shattered by a decision he made over a decade earlier. Though at the time married and with two children, he sought to improve his life by a secret love affair. He set up his lover with a home and soon had two children by her. After six years of juggling his time and money, and trying to cover up with lies, he finally felt too torn at heart to continue. He divorced his wife and lived with only his lover. But then she left him. Now he had no one. Im living in a slum in a three-room flat with my parents, sobbed Ronald. Its degrading. Ones life can be easily ruined. The bad decisions you make may come back to haunt you. On the other hand, right decisions increase your happiness, making for a better life. Even if we avoid gross errors such as Ronalds, there are many things that can hinder our having a better life. Chronic illness has ruined the lives of countless millions. Others have been abandoned by a marriage partner and have had to make it in life alone. Ours is an age of frustration and discontent. Multitudes turn to alcohol abuse, drugs and promiscuous sex in an attempt to escape from reality. Their lives become even worse. Many wonder: How can I increase the happiness in my life? What Is Needed to Be Really Happy?

Over 100,000 persons were asked, What would make you happy? From the variety of answers, two needs stood out. One attitude that is important for adult happiness is a certainty that life has meaning and direction and that one is progressing toward lifetime goals, stated Psychology Today, the source of one poll. While Redbook magazine concluded from its poll: Women of all ages most highly prize being at peace with themselves . . . to reach inner harmony. How true! If your life is not accomplishing anything really meaningful or you cannot live with yourself because of overwhelming guilt and weaknesses, you probably yearn for a better life. But how do we put our lives together so they are happy? A certain decision or course of action may seem to lead to a better life, but time and experience often prove it to be disappointing. However, millions worldwide have found notable happiness by following the worlds best sellerthe Bible. Could this really be how our lives can be guided to lasting happiness? But what about the hundreds of millions who have the Bible and whose lives are no better than mine? many respond. Having the finest mountain guide in the world is valueless if the climbers refuse to follow him. So with the Bible, for it says: If you know these things, happy you are if you do them.John 13:17. But will a careful study and application of the Bible really make your life bettereven during this age of frustration? If so, why? The following article provides a substantial answer. [Box on page 5] TO BE HAPPY You need to know that your life is accomplishing something meaningful and that you have worthwhile goals You need inner harmony, having self-esteem and control over your emotions Based on surveys involving over 100,000 persons