AU G U ST 2 02 5

34567
LARGE PRINT EDITION

STUDY ARTICLES FOR:

OCTOBER 1 3 –NOVEM BER 9, 202 5
 STUDY
ARTICLE 32

How Jehovah Helps

Us to Endure
“The God of all undeserved kindness . . . will make you firm,
he will make you strong, he will firmly ground you.”
—1 PET. 5:10.

SONG 38
He Will Make You Strong

FOCUS
The provisions that Jehovah has made available to help
us endure and how we can take advantage of each one.
2
IN THESE difficult last days, Jehovah’s people need
endurance. Some are suffering from a chronic ill-
ness. Others are coping with the loss of a loved
one. Still others are facing opposition, whether
from family members or from government officials.
(Matt. 10:18, 36, 37) Be assured that whatever dif-
ficulty you are dealing with, Jehovah can help you
to endure.—Read 1 Peter 5:10.
2 Endurance is the ability to persevere and to
maintain hope in the face of obstacles, persecu-
tions, trials, or temptations. The ability to endure
as Christians does not come from our own strength;
rather, it comes from Jehovah, the one who can give
us “power beyond what is normal.” (2 Cor. 4:7) In
this article, we will discuss four provisions that Je-
hovah has made available to help us endure. We will
also see how we can take advantage of each provi-
sion.

PRAYER
3Jehovah has made a miraculous provision that
can help us to endure. He has made it possible for
1. Why do we need endurance, and what help do we have? (1 Peter
5:10)
2. Where does our ability to endure as Christians come from?
3. Why can we say that prayer is a miracle of communication?

AUGUST 2025 3
us to communicate with him despite our sinful con-
dition. (Heb. 4:16) Think of it: We can pray to Jeho-
vah at any time and about any matter. He can hear
us in any language and from any location, even if we
are isolated or imprisoned. (Jonah 2:1, 2; Acts 16:
25, 26) If we become so anxious that we cannot find
the words to express our thoughts, Jehovah is still
able to understand what we want to say. (Rom. 8:26,
27) Truly, prayer is a miracle of communication!
4
In his Word, Jehovah assures us that “no matter
what we ask according to his will, he hears us.”
(1 John 5:14) Can we ask Jehovah for help to en-
dure? Yes! Doing so is in harmony with his will. Why
can we say that? When we endure trials, we provide
Jehovah with a reply to his taunter, Satan the Devil.
(Prov. 27:11) Besides that, the Bible says that Jeho-
vah is eager “to show his strength in behalf of those
whose heart is complete toward him.” (2 Chron.
16:9) So we can be sure that Jehovah has both the
power and the desire to help us endure.—Isa. 30:18;
41:10; Luke 11:13.
5
The Bible says that when we pray earnestly
about our concerns, “the peace of God that sur-
4. Why can we say that our prayers for endurance are in harmony
with Jehovah’s will?
5. How can prayer give us peace of mind? (Isaiah 26:3)

4 THE WATCHTOWER
passes all understanding will guard [our] hearts
and [our] mental powers.” (Phil. 4:7) Consider
what that means. People who do not serve Jehovah
face hardships, and they may try various meth-
ods to achieve peace of mind. For example, some
use a form of meditation to empty the mind of
all thoughts, including anxious ones. Emptying the
mind is spiritually dangerous. (Compare Matthew
12:43-45.) Besides, the peace that Jehovah provides
when we pray is far superior to any form of peace
someone might achieve through such meditation.
When we pray to Jehovah, we demonstrate that
we fully lean on him and he gives us “continuous
peace.” (Read Isaiah 26:3.) One way Jehovah does
that is by helping us call to mind the reassuring
truths we have learned from his Word. Those truths
put our mind and heart at rest because we know

When you pray, you

speak to Jehovah.
When you read the
Bible, Jehovah
speaks to you
(See paragraph 6)
that Jehovah cares for us and wants us to succeed.
—Ps. 62:1, 2.
6
What you can do. As you endure a test of faith,
“throw your burden on Jehovah” and pray for his
peace. (Ps. 55:22) Pray also for the wisdom you
need so that you can deal with your challenge.
(Prov. 2:10, 11) Along with your supplications for
endurance, do not forget to offer prayers of thanks-
giving. (Phil. 4:6) Look for indications that Jeho-
vah is sustaining you during your trial, and thank
him for his support. Do not let your trial blind you
to the blessings you have already received.—Ps. 16:
5, 6.
GOD’S WORD
7
Jehovah has given us his Word to help us en-
dure. The Bible contains many passages that assure
us of Jehovah’s support. Consider just one exam-
ple. Matthew 6:8 says: “Your Father knows what
you need even before you ask him.” Jesus spoke
those words, and he knows Jehovah far better than
anyone else does. Therefore, we have no reason
to doubt Jehovah’s interest in our needs as we
6. How can you make full use of the provision of prayer? (See also
picture.)
7. How can studying the Bible help us endure?

6 THE WATCHTOWER
face hardships. The Bible contains many similar
thoughts that can strengthen our determination to
endure.—Ps. 94:19.
8 Bible principles can help us endure. After all,
they contain practical wisdom that can assist us in
making sound decisions. (Prov. 2:6, 7) For example,
the Bible encourages us to take one day at a time
rather than become unduly worried about what to-
morrow may or may not bring. (Matt. 6:34) If we
have a habit of reading the Scriptures and meditat-
ing on them, we are more likely to recall the princi-
ples we need when we need them.
9 The Bible also contains true-life accounts of or-
dinary people who trusted in Jehovah and received
his support. (Heb. 11:32-34; Jas. 5:17) When we re-
flect on such accounts, we build our confidence that
Jehovah is “our refuge and strength, a help that is
readily found in times of distress.” (Ps. 46:1) As we
take note of the faithful course of Jehovah’s ser-
vants in the past, we are moved to imitate their faith
and their endurance.—Jas. 5:10, 11.
8. (a) Give an example of a Bible principle that can help us endure.
(b) What can help us to call to mind Bible principles when we need
them?
9. How do Bible accounts strengthen our confidence in Jehovah’s
help?

AUGUST 2025 7
 10
What you can do. Read the Bible daily, and keep
a list of verses that you find particularly help-
ful. Many have also found the daily text to be an
effective way to start the day with an encourag-
ing thought from the Bible. A sister named Marie
found that to be true when both her parents were
diagnosed with cancer. What helped her endure as
she cared for them during their final months? “Each
morning I would read the scripture text from Exam-
ining the Scriptures Daily and meditate on it,” she
says. “This routine allowed me to fill my mind with
a Scriptural thought that helped me focus on some-
thing bigger than me and the distressing situation
I was dealing with.”—Ps. 61:2.
FELLOW BELIEVERS
11
Jehovah provides us with a Christian brother-
hood to help us endure. Just knowing that “the
same kind of sufferings are being experienced by
the entire association of [our] brothers” assures us
that we are not alone. (1 Pet. 5:9) Indeed, we can be
certain that whatever situation we face, others have
 Some names in this article have been changed.

10. How can you make full use of the provision of God’s Word?
11. Why is it encouraging to know that we are not alone as we en-
dure trials?

8 THE WATCHTOWER
faced something similar, and they have endured.
That means we too can endure!—Acts 14:22.
12 As we endure, fellow believers can encourage
us. The apostle Paul found that to be true. He often
expressed appreciation for those who helped him
while he was under house arrest, referring to them
by name. They provided Paul with comfort, encour-
agement, and practical assistance. (Phil. 2:25, 29,
30; Col. 4:10, 11) Today we may experience some-
thing similar. When we need help to endure, our
brothers and sisters are there for us; and when they
need support, we are there for them.—Read 2 Co-
rinthians 1:3, 4.
12. How can fellow believers help us, and what can we do for them?
(2 Corinthians 1:3, 4)

Stay close to your

Christian brothers
and sisters
(See paragraph 14)
 13The brotherhood was of great encouragement
to a sister in Russia named Maya. Her home was
searched in 2020, and she was later put on trial for
sharing her faith with others. “During a time when
I was emotionally exhausted, the brothers and sis-
ters called and wrote, assuring me of their love,”
Maya says. “I always knew what a big, loving family
I had. But since 2020, I am especially aware of this.”
14What you can do. As you endure, stay close to
your Christian brothers and sisters. Do not hesitate
to ask the elders for help. They can be “a shelter
from the wind, a refuge from the rainstorm.” (Isa.
32:2, ftn.) Remember, too, that your fellow Chris-
tians are also enduring hardships. Doing a kind
deed for someone in need will help you to remain
balanced and positive as you endure your own trial.
—Acts 20:35.

OUR HOPE
15Jehovah has given us a firm hope to help us en-
dure. (Rom. 15:13) Recall how hope helped Jesus to
13. What helped a sister named Maya to endure?
14. How can we benefit from the support of fellow believers as we
endure? (See also picture.)
15. What has hope done for faithful ones, including Jesus? (He-
brews 12:2)

10 THE WATCHTOWER
endure the most difficult day of his earthly life.
(Read Hebrews 12:2.) Jesus knew that his faithful-
ness would contribute to the vindication of Jeho-
vah’s name. Jesus also looked forward to rejoining
his Father and in time serving with his brothers in
the heavenly Kingdom. Similarly, our hope of living
forever in God’s new world helps us to endure any
hardship that Satan’s world inflicts on us.
16Consider how the Kingdom hope helped a sister
in Russia named Alla, whose husband was arrested
and placed in pretrial detention. When this hap-
pened, Alla said: “Praying about our future hope
and meditating on it keeps me from getting too dis-
couraged. I understand that this is not the end. Je-
hovah will be victorious, and so will we.”
17 What you can do. Take time to think about the
wonderful future that Jehovah has in store. See
yourself in God’s new world and picture the bless-
ings we will have. And any trial we may be facing
now will seem “momentary and light.” (2 Cor. 4:17)
Also, do what you can to share your faith with oth-
ers. Imagine what it must be like for them to deal
16. How did hope help one sister endure, and what do you learn
from her comment?
17. How can we show our appreciation for our Bible-based hope?
(See also picture.)

AUGUST 2025 11
Take time to think
about the wonderful
future that Jehovah
has in store
(See paragraph 17)

with the hardships of Satan’s world without knowing

God’s purpose for the future. You may stir their in-
terest in our Kingdom hope even with a brief discus-
sion.
18 After successfully enduring many trials, Job
told Jehovah: “Now I know that you are able to do
all things and that nothing you have in mind to do
is impossible for you.” (Job 42:2) As Job learned,
nothing can interfere with the fulfillment of Jeho-
vah’s purpose. That fact can strengthen us as we en-
dure. To illustrate, imagine a sick woman who is
discouraged because numerous doctors have been
unable to cure her. But when an experienced and
trusted doctor identifies the problem and explains
how he will treat her illness, she feels relief, even
though it will take some time for her to be healed.
18. Why can we trust in Jehovah’s promises?

12 THE WATCHTOWER
She can now endure, knowing that she has a bright
hope—the hope that she will get better. In a similar
way, our confidence in our hope of the Paradise to
come helps us to endure.
19
As we have seen, Jehovah helps us to endure
our trials by means of prayer, his Word, our fellow
believers, and our hope. If we make full use of these
provisions, Jehovah will carry us through every dif-
ficulty we may face until the day when the hardships
of Satan’s world are gone.—Phil. 4:13.
19. What do we need in order to endure?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PICTURE DESCRIPTION Pages 5, 9, 12: An elderly brother endures
faithfully, season after season.

HOW DOES JEHOVAH HELP US ENDURE BY MEANS OF . . .

˛ prayer and his Word?

˛ our fellow believers?

˛ our hope?

SONG 33
Throw Your Burden on Jehovah
 STUDY
ARTICLE 33

Accept Jehovah’s Love

“I have drawn you to me with loyal love.”—JER. 31:3.

SONG 4
“Jehovah Is My Shepherd”

FOCUS
Why we need to accept that Jehovah loves us and how
we can strengthen our conviction that he does.
14
CAN you recall when you dedicated yourself to Je-
hovah? You made that decision because you came to
know and love him. You promised him that you
would put his will first in your life and that you
would continue to love him with your whole heart,
soul, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:30) Since that
time, your love for him has grown stronger and
stronger. How, then, would you answer if someone
asked, “Are you sure that you love Jehovah?” With-
out hesitation, you would say, “I love him more than
anyone or anything else!”
2 How, though, would you answer if someone
asked, “Are you sure that Jehovah loves you?” Would
you hesitate to answer, perhaps thinking that you
are unworthy of Jehovah’s love? One sister who had
a difficult upbringing said: “I know I love Jehovah.
I have no doubt about that. What I do doubt all too
often is if Jehovah loves me.” But how does Jeho-
vah really feel about you?
3 Jehovah wants you to be convinced that he
loves you. (Read Jeremiah 31:3.) The truth is
that Jehovah drew you to himself. And when you
dedicated yourself to him and got baptized, you
1. Why did you dedicate yourself to Jehovah? (See also picture.)
2-3. What does Jehovah want us to accept, and what will we dis-
cuss in this article? (Jeremiah 31:3)

AUGUST 2025 15
received something truly precious—his loyal love.
That love is a deep, lasting attachment. It moves him
to view his faithful worshippers—including you—as
his “treasured possession.” (Mal. 3:17, ftn.) Jeho-
vah wants you to be as sure of his love for you as
the apostle Paul was of Jehovah’s love for him. Paul
could confidently write: “I am convinced that nei-
ther death nor life nor angels nor governments nor
things now here nor things to come nor powers nor
height nor depth nor any other creation will be able
to separate us from God’s love.” (Rom. 8:38, 39) In
this article, we will discuss why we need to strength-
en our conviction that Jehovah loves us and what
can help us to do so.
WHY WE NEED TO ACCEPT
JEHOVAH’S LOVE
4 By accepting Jehovah’s love, we can fight against
one of Satan’s “crafty acts.” (Eph. 6:11) Satan will do
anything he can to keep us from serving Jehovah.
One of Satan’s craftiest acts is to promote the lie
that Jehovah does not love us. Never forget that Sa-
tan is an opportunist. He often attacks when we are
vulnerable—perhaps weighed down emotionally by
past experiences, by present challenges, or by un-
4. How can we fight against one of Satan’s craftiest acts?

16 THE WATCHTOWER
 Do you remember the love you felt for Jehovah when you
dedicated yourself to him and got baptized?
(See paragraph 1)

certainties about the future. (Prov. 24:10) Satan is

like a lion seeking to take advantage of his defense-
less prey. So he tries to take advantage of our low
emotional state to get us to give up. But if we keep
strengthening our conviction that Jehovah loves
us, we will be better equipped to take our “stand
against” Satan and his cunning tricks and tactics.
—1 Pet. 5:8, 9; Jas. 4:7.
5 By accepting Jehovah’s love, we can draw closer to
him. Consider why we can say that. Jehovah creat-
ed us with the need to love and to be loved. Our nat-
ural response to love is love. So the more we feel
5. Why do we need to feel loved and cherished by Jehovah?

AUGUST 2025 17
loved and cherished by Jehovah, the more we will
love him in return. (1 John 4:19) And as we grow in
our love for him, he will grow in his love for us.
The Bible plainly tells us: “Draw close to God,
and he will draw close to you.” (Jas. 4:8) How,
though, can we strengthen our conviction that Je-
hovah loves us?
WHAT CAN HELP US TO ACCEPT
JEHOVAH’S LOVE?
6 Be specific and persistent in your prayers. (Luke
18:1; Rom. 12:12) Ask Jehovah—many times each
day if necessary—to help you to see yourself as he
does. Granted, a self-condemning heart may not be
easily convinced. But remember that Jehovah is
greater than your heart. (1 John 3:19, 20) He knows
you better than you know yourself; he sees what you
may be unable to see. (1 Sam. 16:7; 2 Chron. 6:30)
So do not hesitate to “pour out” your feelings to
him, asking for his help to accept his love. (Ps.
62:8) Then work in harmony with your prayers by
applying the following suggestions.
7 Take Jehovah at his word. He inspired Bible writ-
ers to describe him as he truly is. Consider the ten-
6. To accept Jehovah’s love, what can we pray for?
7-8. How do the Psalms assure us of Jehovah’s love for us?

18 THE WATCHTOWER
der way in which the psalmist David described Je-
hovah. “Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; he
saves those who are discouraged.” (Ps. 34:18, ftn.)
When you are downhearted, you may feel that you
are all alone. But Jehovah promises that at such
times, he is close to you because he sees that you
need him more than ever. In another psalm, David
wrote: “Do collect my tears in your skin bottle.”
(Ps. 56:8) Jehovah sees when you struggle. He cares
deeply about you and what you are going through.
He, in a sense, collects your tears and treasures
them, as though they were the precious water in a
traveler’s skin bottle. At Psalm 139:3, we read: “You
[Jehovah] are familiar with all my ways.” Jehovah
sees all your ways, but he focuses on the good you
do. (Heb. 6:10) Why? Because he cherishes every ef-
fort you make to please him.
8 By means of such comforting scriptures in his
inspired Word, Jehovah is, in effect, saying: “I want
you to know how much I love you and care about
you.” But as we learned earlier, Satan promotes the
lie that Jehovah does not love you. So if at times you
have doubts about Jehovah’s love for you, pause and
 For additional comforting scriptures that assure us of Jehovah’s love,
see the topic “Doubts” in the publication Scriptures for Christian Liv-
ing.

AUGUST 2025 19
ask yourself, ‘Whom will I believe—“the father of the
lie” or “the God of truth”?’—John 8:44; Ps. 31:5.
9 Reflect on how Jehovah responds to love. Consid-
er what Jehovah said to Moses and to the Israelites.
(Read Exodus 20:5, 6.) Jehovah promises that he
will continue to show loyal love to those who love
him. Those words assure us that our loyal God would
never receive love from his worshippers and not love
them in return. (Neh. 1:5) So if at times you need re-
assurance that Jehovah loves you, stop and ask
yourself, ‘Do I love Jehovah?’ Then think about this:
If you love him and are trying your best to please
him, you have his assurance that he loves you dear-
ly. (Dan. 9:4; 1 Cor. 8:3) In other words, if you do
not doubt your love for Jehovah, why doubt his love
for you? His love and loyalty are beyond all doubt.
10Meditate on the ransom. The ransom sacrifice of
Jesus Christ is Jehovah’s greatest gift to humankind.
(John 3:16) But is it a gift to you personally? Yes!
Consider the experience of the apostle Paul. Recall
that he had committed some serious sins before be-
coming a Christian and needed to continue battling
9. What assurance does Jehovah give to those who love him? (Ex-
odus 20:5, 6)
10-11. How does Jehovah want you to view the ransom? (Galatians
2:20)

20 THE WATCHTOWER
his own imperfections. (Rom. 7:24, 25; 1 Tim. 1:12-
14) Yet, he came to view the ransom as a person-
al gift from Jehovah. (Read Galatians 2:20.) Re-
member that Jehovah inspired Paul to record those
words. And everything in the Bible is there for our
instruction. (Rom. 15:4) Paul’s words reflect how Je-
hovah wants you to view the ransom—that is, as a
personal gift from Him to you. When you come to
view the ransom this way, you strengthen your con-
viction that Jehovah loves you as an individual.
11We thank Jehovah for sending Jesus to the
earth to die for us. But another reason why Jesus
came to earth was to tell others the truth about
God. (John 18:37) That truth includes the way that
Jehovah feels about his children.
HOW JESUS HELPS US TO ACCEPT
JEHOVAH’S LOVE
12When on earth, Jesus willingly revealed what
Jehovah is like. (Luke 10:22) We have every rea-
son to trust the way Jesus described Jehovah. Af-
ter all, Jesus had lived alongside Jehovah in heav-
en for eons before coming to earth. (Col. 1:15)
From firsthand experience and observation, Jesus
knew how much Jehovah loves His faithful sons and
12. Why can we trust the way Jesus described Jehovah?

AUGUST 2025 21
 Jehovah values a single sparrow enough to know when it
falls to the ground. How much more must he value you
—a faithful worshipper who loves him!
(See paragraph 14)

daughters. How does Jesus help others to accept

God’s love?
13Jesus wants us to see Jehovah as he does. In the
Gospels, Jesus referred to Jehovah as “Father” over
160 times. And when speaking to his followers, he
used such expressions as “your Father” or “your
heavenly Father.” (Matt. 5:16; 6:26) The study note
on Matthew 5:16 says: “Earlier servants of God used
many lofty titles to describe and address Jehovah,
13. How does Jesus want us to see Jehovah?

22 THE WATCHTOWER
including the ‘Almighty,’ ‘the Most High,’ and the
‘Grand Creator,’ but Jesus’ frequent use of the sim-
ple, common term ‘Father’ highlights God’s intima-
cy with his worshippers.” Clearly, Jesus wants us to
see Jehovah as he does—as our loving Father, whose
children are dear to Him. Let us examine two exam-
ples of Jesus’ use of the term “Father.”
14 First, consider Jesus’ words recorded at Mat-
thew 10:29-31. (Read.) Sparrows are tiny birds that
will never love or worship Jehovah. Yet, our Father
values a single sparrow enough to know when it falls
to the ground. How much more must he value and
care for each faithful worshipper who serves him
out of love! Regarding the words “even the hairs of
your head are all numbered,” the study note on
verse 30 says: “Jehovah’s intimate knowledge of
such minute details guarantees that he is keenly in-
terested in each follower of Christ.” Surely, Jesus
wants us to accept that each of us is precious in our
heavenly Father’s eyes.
15Note a second example of Jesus’ use of the term
“Father.” (Read John 6:44.) Your heavenly Father
14. How did Jesus show that each of us has value in our heavenly
Father’s eyes? (Matthew 10:29-31) (See also picture.)
15. What do Jesus’ words found at John 6:44 tell you about your
heavenly Father?

AUGUST 2025 23
personally drew—or, gently attracted—you to the
truth. Why did he draw you? Because he saw in you
a heart that was rightly disposed. (Acts 13:48) The
study note on John 6:44 says that Jesus may have
been alluding to Jeremiah’s words, as found in our
theme text: “I have drawn you to me with loyal love
[or, have continued to show loyal love to you].”
(Jer. 31:3; ftn.; compare Hosea 11:4.) Think of what
that means. Our loving heavenly Father continues
to see the good in you that you may not see in your-
self.
16 By describing Jehovah as our Father, Jesus is,
in a sense, telling us: “Jehovah is not just my Father;
he is your Father too. And I assure you that he loves
you and deeply cares about you as an individual.” So
if at times you feel unsure about Jehovah’s love for
you, stop and ask yourself, ‘Shouldn’t I trust the
words of the Son who knows our Father best and
who always speaks the truth?’—1 Pet. 2:22.
KEEP STRENGTHENING YOUR CONVICTION
17 We need to keep strengthening our conviction
16. (a) What is Jesus, in effect, telling us, and why should we be-
lieve him? (b) How can you strengthen your conviction that Jehovah
is the Father you need? (See the box “The Father We All Need.”)
17. Why must we keep strengthening our conviction that Jehovah
loves us?

24 THE WATCHTOWER
“The Father We All Need”
Those words appear in the prologue of the book Draw Close
to Jehovah. Explaining the purpose of the book, it says: “We
will see that Jehovah is . . . the Father we all need. Strong,
just, wise, and loving, he never abandons his faithful chil-
dren.”
One reader who grew up with an abusive father explained
how this book helped her: “It taught me that the word ‘fa-
ther’ is not to be feared. I now understand what a good fa-
ther is. I know that Jehovah accepts me, and I accept him as
my Father.” After reading the book, another reader said: “Je-
hovah is indeed the best Father imaginable!”
To strengthen your conviction that Jehovah is the Father
you need, why not make it a study project to read—or
reread—this publication?

that Jehovah loves us. As we learned earlier, our

crafty enemy, Satan, will stop at nothing to make us
give up on serving Jehovah. In an effort to weaken
our resolve, Satan will keep trying to undermine
our confidence in God’s love for us. We must not let
Satan win!—Job 27:5.
AUGUST 2025 25
 18 To strengthen your confidence in Jehovah’s
love, keep praying for his help to see yourself as he
does. Ponder how inspired Bible writers described
his tender love. Reflect on the way that he responds
to love; he would never receive it and then fail to
show it in return. Meditate on why you can view the
ransom as a personal gift to you. And trust Jesus’
assurance that Jehovah is your heavenly Father.
Then if anyone should ask: “Are you sure that Jeho-
vah loves you?” you will confidently respond: “Yes,
he does! And I do my best every day to show my love
for him!”
18. How can you strengthen your confidence in Jehovah’s love?

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

˛ Why do we need to accept Jehovah’s love?

˛ What can help us to accept Jehovah’s love?

˛ How does Jesus help us to accept Jehovah’s love?

SONG 154
Unfailing Love
 STUDY
ARTICLE 34

Accept Jehovah’s
Forgiveness
“You pardoned the error of my sins.”—PS. 32:5.

SONG 3
Our Strength, Our Hope, Our Confidence

FOCUS
Why we need to accept Jehovah’s forgiveness and how
the Bible assures us that he forgives repentant sinners.
27
KING David knew what it is like to feel guilty for past
sins. (Ps. 40:12; 51:3; superscription) He made some
serious mistakes in his life. Yet, he showed sincere
repentance, and Jehovah forgave him. (2 Sam. 12:13)
As a result, David also understood the relief that
comes from receiving Jehovah’s forgiveness.—Ps.
32:1.
2 Like David, we can experience the relief that
comes from receiving Jehovah’s mercy. What a com-
fort it is to know that Jehovah is willing to forgive
our sins—even serious ones—if we sincerely repent,
confess our sins, and do our best not to repeat our
mistakes! (Prov. 28:13; Acts 26:20; 1 John 1:9) And
how reassuring to know that he forgives so com-
pletely that it is as if the sin had never even hap-
pened!—Ezek. 33:16.
3 At times, though, some may find it hard to accept
Jehovah’s forgiveness. Consider the experience of
Jennifer, who was raised in the truth. As a teenager,
she got involved in wrong conduct and lived a double
life. Years later, she returned to Jehovah and eventu-
ally qualified for baptism. She says: “My former life
was full of materialism, sexual immorality, heavy
1-2. What relief can repentant sinners experience? (See also cover
picture.)
3-4. How did one sister feel after she got baptized, and what will
we discuss in this article?

28 THE WATCHTOWER
drinking, and extreme anger. In my mind, I knew
that after I begged for forgiveness and repented,
Christ’s sacrifice made me clean. But I could not con-
vince my heart that I was forgiven.”
4 Do you at times find it hard to convince your
heart that Jehovah has forgiven you for past mis-
takes? Jehovah wants us to feel as secure in his mer-
cy as did David. In this article, we will discuss why
we need to accept Jehovah’s forgiveness and what
can help us to do so.

WHY DO WE NEED TO ACCEPT

JEHOVAH’S FORGIVENESS?
5 By accepting Jehovah’s forgiveness, we can avoid
falling into one of Satan’s traps. Remember that Satan
will do anything he can to stop us from serving Jeho-
vah. To achieve his goal, Satan may try to get us to
believe that our sins are unforgivable. Consider the
experience of the man in Corinth who was removed
from the congregation for sexual immorality. (1 Cor.
5:1, 5, 13) When he later repented, Satan wanted
those in the congregation to be unforgiving—so harsh
that they would not welcome the man back. At the
same time, Satan wanted the repentant man to feel
unforgivable—so “overwhelmed by excessive sadness”
5. What does Satan want us to believe? Give an example.

AUGUST 2025 29
that he would stop serving Jehovah. Satan has not
changed his goal or his tactics. But “we are not igno-
rant of his designs.”—2 Cor. 2:5-11.
6 By accepting Jehovah’s forgiveness, we can find re-
lief from the burden of guilt. When we sin, we natural-
ly feel guilty. (Ps. 51:17) That is a good thing. Our
conscience can move us to take positive steps to cor-
rect our course. (2 Cor. 7:10, 11) However, if we hold
on to guilt long after we have repented of a sin, we
might be tempted to give up. When we accept Jeho-
vah’s forgiveness, we can put the guilt where it be-
longs—behind us. Then we can serve Jehovah as he
wants us to serve him—with a clean conscience and
deep joy. (Col. 1:10, 11; 2 Tim. 1:3) How, though, can
we convince our heart to accept God’s forgiveness?

WHAT CAN HELP US TO ACCEPT

JEHOVAH’S FORGIVENESS?
7Reflect on how Jehovah has described himself.
Note, for example, what Jehovah said to Moses on
Mount Sinai. (Read Exodus 34:6, 7.) Of all the
 See the article “Draw Close to God—When Jehovah Described Him-
self” in the May 1, 2009, issue of The Watchtower.

6. How can we find relief from the burden of guilt?

7-8. How did Jehovah describe himself to Moses, and what confi-
dence does this give us? (Exodus 34:6, 7)

30 THE WATCHTOWER
things that Jehovah could have said about his quali-
ties and ways, he saw fit to represent himself as be-
ing “a God merciful and compassionate.” Would
such a God withhold forgiveness from a worshipper
who has truly repented of his sin? Never! That would
be merciless and hard-hearted—attitudes that Jeho-
vah is incapable of displaying.
8 We can be confident that Jehovah would never
misrepresent himself, for he is a truthful God. (Ps.
31:5) So we can take him at his word. If you find it
hard to let go of guilt for past sins, ask yourself: ‘Do
I believe that Jehovah is truly merciful and compas-
sionate and would never withhold forgiveness from
any repentant sinner? Then shouldn’t I accept that
he has forgiven me?’
9 Meditate on what Jehovah inspired Bible writers
to say about his forgiveness. Consider, for example,
how the Bible writer David described Jehovah’s for-
giveness. (Read Psalm 32:5.) “You pardoned the er-
ror of my sins,” said David. The Hebrew word ren-
dered “pardon” can mean “lift up,” “take away,” or
“carry.” When forgiving David, Jehovah, in a sense,
lifted up his sins and carried them away. David then
found relief from the heavy guilt that he had been
9. What does it mean to have our sins pardoned? (Psalm 32:5)

AUGUST 2025 31
carrying. (Ps. 32:2-4) We can experience similar re-
lief. When we sincerely repent of our transgressions,
we need not continue to carry the burden of guilt
for sins that Jehovah has lifted up and carried away
from us.
10Read Psalm 86:5. David here speaks of Jehovah
as being “ready to forgive.” Commenting on this ex-
pression, one Bible reference work says of Jehovah:
“[He] is a ‘forgiver’—it is his ‘nature.’ ” Why is it Je-
hovah’s nature to be forgiving? The next part of the
verse explains: “You abound in loyal love for all
those who call on you.” As we learned in the preced-
ing article, loyal love impels Jehovah to form a
deep, lasting attachment to his faithful worshippers.
Moved by his loyal love, he “will freely forgive” all
repentant sinners. (Isa. 55:7, ftn.) If you find it hard
to accept God’s forgiveness, you might ask yourself:
‘Do I believe that Jehovah is a Forgiver—that he
readily forgives all repentant ones who call out to
him for mercy? Then shouldn’t I accept that he for-
gave me when I cried out to him for mercy?’
11We can find comfort in knowing that Jehovah
completely understands our sinful nature. (Ps. 139:
1, 2) This is clear from another of David’s psalms,
10-11. What do the words “ready to forgive” tell us about Jehovah?
(Psalm 86:5)

32 THE WATCHTOWER
which can also help us to accept Jehovah’s forgive-
ness.

DO NOT FORGET WHAT

JEHOVAH REMEMBERS
12 Read Psalm 103:14. David speaks of Jehovah as
“remembering that we are dust.” With those words,
David explains one of the reasons why Jehovah is
ready to forgive repentant worshippers: He is ever
mindful of our sinful nature. To understand this bet-
ter, let us take a closer look at David’s words.
13David says that Jehovah “well knows how we are
formed.” He formed Adam “out of dust from the
ground” and well knows that perfect humans have
natural limitations—for example, the need to eat,
sleep, and breathe. (Gen. 2:7) But when Adam and
Eve sinned, being dust took on added meaning. As
their offspring, we inherited a sinful nature that
makes us prone to doing wrong things. Jehovah is
not just aware of our sinful nature; David speaks of
him as “remembering” it. The Hebrew word used
here can mean to take positive action. We might sum
up the meaning of David’s words this way: Jehovah
understands that we will fall short at times; when we
12-13. According to Psalm 103:14, what does Jehovah remember
about us, and what does this move him to do?

AUGUST 2025 33
do, he is moved to respond to our heartfelt repen-
tance by showing us mercy and forgiveness.—Ps. 78:
38, 39.
14 How far-reaching is Jehovah’s forgiveness?
(Read Psalm 103:12.) David says that when Jehovah
forgives, He puts our sins “as far off as the sunrise
[east] is from the sunset [west].” In a sense, east is
always at the utmost distance imaginable from west;
the two points can never meet. What does this tell us
about the sins that Jehovah forgives? One reference
work illustrates it this way: “If sin be removed so far,
then we may be sure that the scent, the trace, the
very memory of it must be entirely gone.” Just think
—a scent can trigger a memory. But when Jehovah
forgives, it is as if not even a trace of a scent remains
that would call to mind the sin and cause him to hold
it against us.—Ezek. 18:21, 22; Acts 3:19.
15 How can David’s words found in Psalm 103 help
us to accept Jehovah’s forgiveness? If we carry per-
sistent guilt for past sins, we can ask ourselves: ‘Am
I forgetting what Jehovah remembers—that is, am I
14. (a) How does David explain Jehovah’s far-reaching forgive-
ness? (Psalm 103:12) (b) How does David’s example show the com-
pleteness of Jehovah’s forgiveness? (See the box “How Jehovah
Forgives and Forgets.”)
15. What can we do if we carry persistent guilt for past mistakes?

34 THE WATCHTOWER
How Jehovah
Forgives and
Forgets

When Jehovah forgives us, he forgets our sins in the sense

that he will not hold them against us in the future. (Isa. 43:
25) Consider, for instance, King David. His example shows
that our life can turn out well even if we have made serious
mistakes.
David committed grave sins, including adultery and murder.
But because he was sincerely repentant, Jehovah forgave
him. David accepted reproof, corrected his way, and thereaf-
ter never swerved from pure worship.—2 Sam. 11:1-27; 12:13.
When looking back on David’s life, Jehovah told Solomon:
“Walk before me as your father David walked, with integrity
of heart and with uprightness.” (1 Ki. 9:4, 5) Jehovah did not
even mention David’s sins. Instead, Jehovah summed up Da-
vid’s life by referring to him as a man of integrity and up-
rightness. And Jehovah “richly rewarded” him for his faithful-
ness.—Ps. 13:6.
What is the lesson for us? When Jehovah forgives, he focus-
es, not on the sins that he has pardoned, but on the good
that he can reward. (Heb. 11:6) So we do not need to keep
remembering past sins that Jehovah has chosen to forget.
Just as a driver needs to
focus more on the road
ahead than on the rearview
mirror, we need to focus
more on future blessings
than on past mistakes
(See paragraph 16)

forgetting that he is mindful of my sinful nature and

will forgive a repentant sinner like me? Am I also re-
membering what Jehovah chooses to forget—that is,
am I remembering the sins that he has forgiven
and would never hold against me?’ Jehovah does
not focus on our past sins. Neither should we. (Ps.
130:3) When we accept Jehovah’s forgiveness, we
will be able to forgive ourselves for past mistakes
and move on.
16Consider an illustration. Holding on to guilt for
past sins is like trying to drive a car forward while
continuously looking in the rearview mirror. It is
good to glance occasionally in the mirror; you can
16. Illustrate the danger of holding on to guilt for past sins. (See
also picture.)

36 THE WATCHTOWER
respond to potential dangers behind you. But to
move forward safely, you must focus on the road
ahead. Similarly, it can be helpful if we occasionally
look back at our past mistakes; we can learn from
them and strengthen our resolve not to repeat them.
But if we keep focusing on past mistakes, the guilt we
carry may limit what we can do now in serving God.
Instead, may we keep focused on the road ahead of
us. We are on the road that leads to life in God’s
promised new world, where bad memories “will not
be called to mind.”—Isa. 65:17; Prov. 4:25.
CONTINUE TO CONVINCE YOUR HEART
17We need to keep convincing our heart of Jeho-
vah’s love and forgiveness. (1 John 3:19, ftn.) Why?
Because Satan will not let up in his efforts to con-
vince us that we are unlovable or unforgivable. Ei-
ther way, his goal is the same—to get us to stop serv-
ing Jehovah. We can expect that Satan will intensify
his efforts because he knows that his time is short.
(Rev. 12:12) We must not let him win!
18To strengthen your confidence in Jehovah’s love,
apply the suggestions discussed in the preceding
17. Why do we need to keep convincing our heart of Jehovah’s love
and forgiveness?
18. What can you do to convince your heart of Jehovah’s love and
forgiveness?

AUGUST 2025 37
article. To convince your heart of Jehovah’s forgive-
ness, reflect on how Jehovah has described himself.
Meditate on what he inspired Bible writers to say
about his forgiveness. Do not forget that he is well-
aware of your sinful nature and will deal with you
mercifully. And remember that when he forgives, he
does so completely. Then with the same type of con-
fidence that David had in Jehovah’s mercy, you will
be able to say, “Thank you, Jehovah, for pardoning
‘the error of my sins’!”—Ps. 32:5.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PICTURE DESCRIPTION Cover: King David composed numerous psalms
that describe Jehovah’s forgiveness.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

˛ Why do we need to accept Jehovah’s forgiveness?

˛ What can help you to accept Jehovah’s forgiveness?

˛ Why do we need to keep convincing our heart of Jehovah’s

forgiveness?

SONG 1
Jehovah’s Attributes
 STUDY
ARTICLE 35

How to Win the Fight

Against Wrong Desires
“Do not let sin continue to rule as king in your mortal
bodies so that you should obey their desires.”—ROM. 6:12.

SONG 121
We Need Self-Control

FOCUS
To help us to (1) fight discouragement and (2) avoid
giving in to temptation.
39
HAVE you ever had a strong desire to do something
that Jehovah disapproves? If so, do not conclude that
you face a greater trial than everyone else. The Bible
says: “No temptation has come upon you except what
is common to men.” (1 Cor. 10:13) This means that
whatever wrong desire you struggle with, others are
dealing with it too. You are not alone, and with Jeho-
vah’s help, you can win the fight.
2 The Bible also says: “Each one is tried by being
drawn out and enticed by his own desire.” (Jas. 1:14)
What entices one person may differ from what en-
tices another. For example, some Christians might be
tempted to engage in immoral behavior with some-
one of the opposite sex; others, with someone of the
same sex. Those who have quit viewing pornography
might feel a strong urge to return to the habit. Many
who have stopped abusing drugs or alcohol face a
similar challenge. Those are a few desires that some
Christians and Bible students struggle with. At some
point, all of us have likely felt the way the apostle
Paul did, who wrote: “When I wish to do what is right,
what is bad is present with me.”—Rom. 7:21.
 The International Standard Version renders that verse: “No tempta-
tion has overtaken you that is unusual for human beings.”

1. What is true of all imperfect humans?

2. What kinds of temptations might some Christians and Bible stu-
dents struggle with? (See also pictures.)

40 THE WATCHTOWER
 Temptation may arise unexpectedly—anytime and anywhere
(See paragraph 2)

3 If you are dealing with a persistent wrong desire,

you might feel powerless, as if you were unable to re-
sist giving in to temptation. You might also feel hope-
less, as if Jehovah would condemn you simply for
having the wrong desire. Be assured that neither as-
sumption is true! To explain why, this article will ad-
dress two questions: (1) Where do feelings of power-
lessness and hopelessness come from? (2) How can
you win the fight against wrong desires?

HOW “THE WICKED ONE”

WANTS US TO FEEL
4Satan wants us to feel powerless when we are
tempted. Jesus acknowledged this when he taught his
3. What effect can a persistent wrong desire have on an individual?
4. (a) Why does Satan want us to feel powerless? (b) Why are we
not powerless in our fight against temptation?

AUGUST 2025 41
followers to pray: “Do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the wicked one.” (Matt. 6:13) Satan
questions man’s willingness to obey Jehovah when
faced with temptation. (Job 2:4, 5) Think about the
irony of that. Satan is the one who was enticed by his
own desire, and he was not willing to remain faithful
to Jehovah. Evidently, he believes that we are just like
him, that we will readily abandon Jehovah when we
are tempted. Satan even thought that the perfect Son
of God could be swayed by temptation! (Matt. 4:8, 9)
But think: Are we really powerless in our fight against
wrong desires? Not at all! We agree with the apostle
Paul, who wrote: “For all things I have the strength
through the one who gives me power.”—Phil. 4:13.
5 In stark contrast to Satan, Jehovah is confident
that we can resist wrong desires. How do we know
that? Because Jehovah foretold that a great crowd of
integrity-keepers would survive the great tribulation.
Think about what that means. Jehovah, who cannot
lie, says that a large number—not just a few—will
enter his new world with a clean standing, having
“washed their robes and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:9, 13, 14) Clearly, Jeho-
vah does not view us as powerless in our fight against
wrong desires.
5. How do we know that Jehovah is confident that we can win the
fight against wrong desires?

42 THE WATCHTOWER
 6 Satan would like us to feel not only powerless but
also hopeless—as if Jehovah would condemn us sim-
ply for having wrong desires. Again, think of the
irony. Satan is the one who is hopeless, judged by Je-
hovah as unworthy of eternal life. (Gen. 3:15; Rev.
20:10) Satan no doubt wants us to feel hopeless too
—especially since we have the prospect of attaining
the very blessing that he has been denied. However,
we are not hopeless. In fact, the Bible assures us that
Jehovah wants to help us, not condemn us. He “does
not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to
attain to repentance.”—2 Pet. 3:9.
7 Really, then, if we believe that we are either pow-
erless or hopeless in our fight against wrong desires,
we are thinking the way Satan would like us to think.
Realizing that can help us strengthen our resolve to
take a firm stand against him.—1 Pet. 5:8, 9.

HOW OUR SINFUL CONDITION

CAN MAKE US FEEL
8Besides Satan, there is another factor that can
cause us to feel powerless and hopeless in our
fight against wrong desires. What is it? Our sinful

6-7. Why does Satan want us to feel hopeless in our fight against
temptation?
8. Besides wrong acts, what does sin involve? (Psalm 51:5) (See
also “Expression Explained.”)

AUGUST 2025 43
condition, which we inherited from our first human
parents.—Job 14:4; read Psalm 51:5.
9 Consider how the condition of sin affected Adam
and Eve. After disobeying Jehovah, they hid them-
selves and tried to cover their bodies. Commenting
on that act, Insight on the Scriptures says: “Sin thus
caused them to feel guilt, anxiety, insecurity, shame.”
It was as if Adam and Eve were locked inside a house
that had only those four rooms. Adam and Eve could
move from one room to another, but they could not
get out of the house. They could not escape their sin-
ful condition.
10 Of course, we are not in the exact same circum-
stance as Adam and Eve were in. The ransom—which
does not apply to the first couple—can cleanse us of
sin and give us a clean conscience. (1 Cor. 6:11) Still,
we inherited a sinful condition. It is hardly surpris-
ing, therefore, that we too feel guilt, anxiety, insecu-
rity, and shame. In fact, the Bible says that sin con-
tinues to hold mankind in its grip. And it has done so
 EXPRESSION EXPLAINED: In the Bible, the word “sin” often refers to
an act, such as stealing, adultery, or murder. (Ex. 20:13-15; 1 Cor. 6:18)
In some scriptures, though, “sin” refers to a condition that we inherit-
ed at birth, even though we had not yet committed any act of sin.

9-10. (a) How did the condition of sin affect Adam and Eve? (See
also picture.) (b) How does the condition of sin affect us?

44 THE WATCHTOWER
“even over those who [have] not sinned in the same
way that Adam transgressed.” (Rom. 5:14) As dis-
couraging as that fact might seem, it need not make
us feel powerless and hopeless. We can reject those
negative feelings. How?
11 When we feel powerless—as if we could not suc-
cessfully fight wrong desires—we can view that as our
sinful condition “talking,” and we should not listen to
it. Why? Because the Bible teaches that we do not
have to let sin continue to “rule as king” over us.
(Read Romans 6:12.) This means that we can choose
not to act on wrong desires. (Gal. 5:16) Jehovah is
confident that we can resist temptation; otherwise,
he would not require us to do so. (Deut. 30:11-14;
Rom. 6:6; 1 Thess. 4:3) Clearly, we are not powerless
in our fight against wrong desires.
12Similarly, when we feel hopeless—as if Jeho-
vah would condemn us simply for having wrong
desires—we can view that as our sinful condition
“talking,” and we should not listen to it. Why? Be-
cause the Bible teaches that Jehovah understands
our sinful condition. (Ps. 103:13, 14) He “knows all
things” about us, including the different ways that

11. How should we react to feelings of powerlessness, and why?

(Romans 6:12)
12. How should we react to feelings of hopelessness, and why?

AUGUST 2025 45
Sin caused Adam and Eve to
feel guilt, anxiety, insecurity,
and shame
(See paragraph 9)

our inherited sinful condition has contributed to our

wrong inclinations. (1 John 3:19, 20) As long as we
do not give in to sinful inclinations by carrying out
wrong desires, we can have a clean standing with Je-
hovah. Why can we be certain of that?
13The Bible distinguishes between the practice of
what is wrong (which we can control) and the desire
for what is wrong (which may arise involuntarily). For
example, some among the first-century Christians
in Corinth formerly practiced homosexuality. Paul
wrote: “That is what some of you were.” Did this
mean that they never again had any desire to commit
homosexual acts? It would not be realistic to believe
so, since such cravings are often deeply ingrained.
But Christians who exercised self-control and avoid-
ed acting on their desires were acceptable to Jehovah.

13-14. Does simply having wrong desires mean that we have

failed? Explain.

46 THE WATCHTOWER
He considered them “washed clean.” (1 Cor. 6:9-11)
The same can be true of you.
14 No matter what wrong desires you struggle with,
you can succeed in overcoming them. Even if you
cannot eliminate them, you can exercise self-control
and keep from “carrying out the will of the flesh and
of [your] thoughts.” (Eph. 2:3) How can you do that
and thereby win the fight against wrong desires?

HOW TO WIN
15 To win the fight against wrong desires, you will
need to be honest with yourself about your weakness-
es. Be careful not to deceive yourself with “false rea-
soning.” (Jas. 1:22) Minimizing the problem—such as
by reasoning, ‘Others drink more than I do,’ or by
blaming others for it, ‘I wouldn’t be tempted to
look at pornography if my wife were more affection-
ate’—will only make it easier for you to give in to
temptation. So do not try to justify a wrong course,
even in your thinking. Take responsibility for your
actions.—Gal. 6:7.
16
Besides being honest with yourself about your
weaknesses, you will need to strengthen your resolve
15. If we are to win the fight against wrong desires, why do we need
to be honest with ourselves?
16. How can you strengthen your resolve to do what is right?

AUGUST 2025 47
 Reject temptation immediately,
as Joseph did!
(See paragraph 17)

not to give in to them. (1 Cor. 9:26, 27; 1 Thess. 4:4;

1 Pet. 1:15, 16) Take note of what makes you most vul-
nerable and when. It might be a certain type of temp-
tation or a certain time of day when you are more
likely to be tempted. For example, are you more vul-
nerable when you are tired or when it is late at
night? Anticipate the temptation, and mentally re-
hearse how you will respond to it. The best time to do
this is before the temptation occurs.—Prov. 22:3.
17Consider how Joseph responded when Potiphar’s
wife tried to seduce him. His refusal of her advances
was immediate and decisive. (Read Genesis 39:7-9.)
What does that indicate? Joseph knew exactly how he

17. What can we learn from Joseph’s example? (Genesis 39:7-9)

(See also pictures.)

48 THE WATCHTOWER
felt about taking another man’s wife before Potiphar’s
wife tried to seduce him. In the same way, you can
strengthen your resolve to do what is right before a
tempting situation presents itself. That way, when
you are tempted, it will be easier for you to fol-
low through on the decision that you have already
made.

“KEEP TESTING”
18 To win the fight against wrong desires, you will
need to “keep testing” yourself—that is, keep exam-
ining yourself regularly to see how you are doing.
(Read 2 Corinthians 13:5.) From time to time, re-
view your thinking and actions and make adjust-
ments where needed. For example, even when you
succeed in rejecting temptation, you can ask your-
self: ‘How long did it take me to say no?’ If you real-
ize that you delayed, do not condemn yourself. In-
stead, take steps to shore up your defenses. Ask
yourself such questions as: ‘Can I reduce the amount
of time it takes me to dismiss improper thoughts? Is
my choice of entertainment making it more difficult
for me to resist temptation? Do I immediately turn
my eyes away from immoral scenes? Do I understand
why Jehovah’s standards are always for the best even
18. How can you win the fight against wrong desires? (2 Corinthi-
ans 13:5)

AUGUST 2025 49
when they require that I exercise self-control?’—Ps.
101:3.
19 You should also avoid rationalizing. The Bible
says: “The heart is more treacherous than anything
else and is desperate.” (Jer. 17:9) Jesus said that it
produces “wicked reasonings.” (Matt. 15:19) For ex-
ample, a person who has stopped viewing pornogra-
phy may, after a time, think that it is “safe” to look
at sexually arousing photos because they do not con-
tain outright nudity. Or he might reason, ‘There is
nothing wrong with fantasizing about improper de-
sires as long as I don’t carry them out.’ In a sense,
that person’s treacherous heart is “planning ahead
for the desires of the flesh.” (Rom. 13:14) How can
you avoid doing that? Be aware of and avoid making
small unwise decisions that will lead you to making
big unwise decisions, such as giving in to wrong-
doing. Reject also any thoughts, or “wicked reason-
ings,” that tend to excuse wrong behavior.
20 As we have learned, by means of Jehovah’s help,
 Note that the young man depicted at Proverbs 7:7-23 made small un-
wise decisions before making the big unwise decision of giving in to
sexual immorality.

19. How can seemingly small unwise decisions make it more dif-
ficult for us to fight wrong desires?
20. What prospect do we have for the future, and what help do we
have right now?

50 THE WATCHTOWER
we have the power to resist temptation. Also, thanks
to his mercy, we have the hope of everlasting life in
the new world. What a relief it will be to serve Jeho-
vah with a pure mind and heart! Until that time, we
can be certain that we are neither powerless nor
hopeless in our fight against wrong desires. With Je-
hovah’s blessing on our efforts, we can win!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PICTURE DESCRIPTIONS Page 41: Left: While sitting in a coffee shop,
a young brother notices two men exchanging displays of affection.
Right: A sister notices two people smoking.

HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?

˛ What can help us fight feelings of powerlessness and hopeless-
ness?

˛ How can we keep sin from ‘ruling as king’ over us?

˛ How can we “keep testing” ourselves?

SONG 122
Be Steadfast, Immovable!
 LIFE STORY

My Journey
From Shyness
to Missionary
Service
AS TOLD BY MARIANNE
WERTHOLZ

AS A child, I was shy and afraid of people.

But in time, Jehovah helped me to become a
people-oriented missionary. How? Initially,
through the guidance of my father. Next, by
the excellent example of a teenage sister. And
finally, by the kind and patient words of my
husband. Let me share my journey with you.

I was born in 1951 in Vienna, Austria, to a Catholic fam-

ily. I was timid, but I believed in God and prayed often.
When I was nine, my father started studying with Jeho-
vah’s Witnesses; my mother joined him a little later.
52 THE WATCHTOWER
 We soon became part of the Döbling Congregation
in Vienna. As a family, we did a lot together. We read
and studied the Bible, attended congregation meet-
ings, and served as volunteers at assemblies. Early on
in my childhood, my father instilled in me a deep love
for Jehovah. In fact, my father’s prayer was that my
sister and I become pioneers. But back then, that was
not my goal.

STARTING FULL-TIME SERVICE

I got baptized in 1965, at the age of 14. However, I
found it difficult to approach strangers in the ministry.
I also struggled with feelings of inferiority and desper-
ately wanted to be accepted by other young people.
So not long after my baptism, I started associating
with those who didn’t serve Jehovah. Although I liked
their company, my conscience bothered me because
I spent so much time with non-Witnesses. But I did not
have the strength to change. What helped me?
About that time, a 16-year-old girl named Dorothée
joined our congregation. Her zeal for the house-to-
house work impressed me. I was a little older than she
was, but I was not very active in the ministry. I thought
to myself: ‘My parents are Witnesses, but Dorothée has
no family in the truth. She lives with her sick mother,
and yet she is always out in the ministry!’ Her example
motivated me to do more for Jehovah. Soon thereafter,
AUGUST 2025 53
Dorothée and I became pioneer partners. First, we
were auxiliary pioneers, then called vacation pioneers,
and later, we served together as regular pioneers. Do-
rothée’s enthusiasm was contagious. She helped me to
start my first Bible study. In time, I began to feel a lit-
tle more relaxed about approaching people at the door,
on the street, and in other situations.
During my first year as a regular pioneer, an Austri-
an brother named Heinz came to our congregation. He
had learned the truth in Canada while visiting his
brother, who was a Witness. Heinz was assigned to our
congregation in Vienna as a special pioneer. I liked him
right from the start. But he wanted to become a mis-
sionary, and I had no intention of serving as a mission-
ary. So at first, I hid my feelings for him. Later, though,
Heinz and I started dating, got married, and began
pioneering together in Austria.

MISSIONARY WORK AS A GOAL

Heinz would often speak to me about his desire
to become a missionary. Although he never pres-
sured me, he would ask motivating questions, such as,
“Since we do not have children, could we do more in
Jehovah’s service?” Because of my shy personality, I
was afraid to be a missionary. True, I pioneered, but
the whole idea of a missionary assignment seemed
overwhelming. Yet, Heinz patiently kept the goal alive.
54 THE WATCHTOWER
He also encouraged me to focus more on caring about
people than on worrying about myself. His advice real-
ly helped.
Gradually, I developed the desire to enter the mis-
sionary work, so we applied for Gilead School. How-
ever, the branch servant suggested that I first improve
my English. After three years of striving to improve my
English, we were surprised to receive an assignment
to a Yugoslavian congregation in Salzburg, Austria. We
worked in that field for the next seven years, including
one year in circuit work. The Serbo-Croatian language
was difficult, but we had many Bible studies.
Then in 1979 we were asked to go on “vacation”
to Bulgaria. The preaching work there was banned. So
we did not do any preaching on that “vacation.” But
we did smuggle miniature literature into the country
for the five sisters who lived in Sofia, the capital city. I
was terrified, but Jehovah helped me with that exciting

With my sister, Elisabeth

(on the left)
assignment. Seeing the courage of those sisters and
the joy they had despite the risk of imprisonment gave
me confidence to do my best at whatever Jehovah’s or-
ganization asked of me.
Meanwhile, we reapplied for Gilead, and this time,
we were accepted. We thought we would be attending
the school in English in the United States. But in No-
vember 1981, the Gilead Extension School started at
the branch in Wiesbaden, Germany. So we were able to
attend the course in German, which was easier for me
to understand. Where would we be assigned?

SERVING IN A WAR-TORN COUNTRY

Our assignment was Kenya! However, the Kenya
branch office asked us if we would be willing to serve
in the neighboring country of Uganda. Over ten years
earlier, the Ugandan government had been overthrown
in a military coup led by General Idi Amin. In the years
that followed, his dictatorship brought death to thou-
sands and turmoil to millions. Then in 1979 the Ugan-
dan government was once again overthrown. Needless
to say, I felt somewhat unsure about moving to a war-
torn country. But Gilead had prepared us to trust in Je-
hovah. So we said yes.
The situation in Uganda was chaotic. Heinz de-
scribed it this way in the 2010 Yearbook: “Many ser-
vices, . . . such as water supply and communication,
56 THE WATCHTOWER
A B

C D

A. I learned so much from Dorothée (on the left)

B. Heinz conducting the Watchtower Study in a small Yugoslavian-
speaking congregation in Salzburg, Austria, 1974
C. Preparing a meal at the home of the Waiswa family
D. Heinz and me with Tatjana (in the middle)

had broken down. . . . Shootings and robberies were

common, especially at night. . . . Everyone remained at
home, hoping—and often praying—that the night
would pass without uninvited visitors.” Despite these
challenges, the local brothers were thriving spiritually!
In 1982, Heinz and I arrived in Kampala, Uganda’s
capital. During the first five months, we stayed at the
AUGUST 2025 57
home of Sam and Christina Waiswa along with their
five children and four relatives. Brother and Sis-
ter Waiswa and their family often had only one meal a
day, which made their hospitality truly remarkable.
During our time with the Waiswas, Heinz and I learned
many practical lessons that helped us with mission-
ary life. For instance, we learned how to save water by
bathing with just a few liters and using the rinse water
to flush the toilets. In 1983, Heinz and I found our own
home in a reasonably safe area of Kampala.
We truly enjoyed the ministry. I recall that in one
month we placed over 4,000 magazines! But the peo-
ple were the best part. They respected God and want-
ed to talk about the Bible. Heinz and I typically had 10
to 15 Bible studies each. And we learned a lot from our
students. For example, we appreciated their positive
spirit as they walked to and from the meetings each
week, never complaining and always smiling.
In 1985 and 1986, there were two more military con-
flicts in Uganda. We often saw child soldiers armed
with assault rifles and manning checkpoints. During
that time, we prayed for discernment and a calm heart
as we searched for interested ones in the ministry.
And Jehovah answered our prayers. We often forgot
our fears as soon as we met someone who responded
positively to the Kingdom message.
58 THE WATCHTOWER
 We also enjoyed witnessing to foreigners. For ex-
ample, we met and studied with Murat and Dilbar Iba-
tullin, a married couple from Tatarstan (Central Rus-
sia). Murat was a health-care professional. The couple
came into the truth and have been active ever since.
Later, I was privileged to meet Tatjana Vileyska, a wom-
an from Ukraine who had been contemplating suicide.
After Tatjana got baptized, she moved back to Ukraine
and later served as a translator of our publications.

NEW CHALLENGES
In 1991 while Heinz and I were on vacation in Aus-
tria, we were contacted by the local branch and in-
formed about a new assignment: Bulgaria. After the
fall of communism in Eastern Europe, the work of Je-
hovah’s Witnesses was legalized in Bulgaria. As men-
tioned, Heinz and I had previously smuggled literature
into that country while the work was banned. But now
we were being sent there to preach.
We were directed not to go back to Uganda. So with-
out returning to our missionary home to pack our
things or to say goodbye to friends, we went to Bethel
in Germany, got a car, and traveled to Bulgaria. We
were assigned to a group of about 20 publishers in
Sofia.
 See Tatjana Vileyska’s life story in the December 22, 2000, issue of
Awake! pp. 20-24.

AUGUST 2025 59
 We faced several new challenges in Bulgaria. First,
we did not know the language. In addition, the only
publications readily available in Bulgarian were The
Truth That Leads to Eternal Life and My Book of Bible
Stories. And we found it difficult to start Bible studies.
Despite these challenges, our small but zealous group
of Witnesses was making progress. The Orthodox
Church noticed, and that is when the real problems be-
gan.
In 1994 the Witnesses were deregistered and treat-
ed like a forbidden sect. Some brothers were arrested.
The media spread terrible lies about us, claiming that
Jehovah’s Witnesses not only killed children but also
convinced other Witnesses to commit suicide. Heinz
and I found it difficult to preach. We often encountered
aggressive people who screamed at us, called the po-
lice on us, and even threw things at us. It was not
possible to get literature into the country, and renting
halls for meetings became a challenge. The police even
broke up one of our conventions. Heinz and I were not
used to such hatred. How unlike the productive, friend-
ly field we were used to in Uganda! What enabled us to
deal with the change?
We found joy in associating with the local brothers
and sisters. They were happy to have found the truth
and appreciated the assistance we gave them. All
stayed close together and supported one another. We
60 THE WATCHTOWER
learned from those experiences that we can be happy
in any assignment if we remain people-oriented.
In time, however, things did improve. Our organiza-
tion was reregistered in 1998, and many publications
soon became available in Bulgarian. Then in 2004 a
new branch building was dedicated. Today, there are
57 congregations in Bulgaria, with 2,953 publishers.
This past service year, a total of 6,475 attended the
Memorial. While at one time there were only five sis-
ters in Sofia, we now have nine congregations! We
have truly seen “the little one . . . become a thousand.”
—Isa. 60:22.

COPING WITH PERSONAL TRIALS

I have had my share of health problems. Over the
years, I have developed several tumors, including one
in my head. I received radiation therapy and under-
went a 12-hour surgery in India to remove most of it.
After I recovered at the India branch, we returned to
our assignment in Bulgaria.
Meanwhile, Heinz started suffering from a rare he-
reditary condition called Huntington’s disease. He
struggled to walk, talk, and control his movements.
As the disease progressed, he became more and
more dependent on me. I felt overwhelmed at times
and worried about how things would turn out. How-
ever, a young brother named Bobi regularly invited
AUGUST 2025 61
At the Bulgaria branch,
2007

Heinz to preach with him. Bobi was not embarrassed

by Heinz’s speech or by his uncontrolled movements. I
could always count on Bobi when I was not able to as-
sist Heinz. Although Heinz and I put off having children
in this system, we felt that Jehovah gave us Bobi as a
son!—Mark 10:29, 30.
Heinz also struggled with cancer. Sadly, my dear
husband passed away in 2015. I felt so insecure after
Heinz died; it was unreal to me that he was gone. But
in my memory, he is so alive! (Luke 20:38) I often viv-
idly recall his kind words and sound advice as I go
about my day. I’m very thankful for our years of faith-
ful service together.

GRATEFUL FOR JEHOVAH’S SUPPORT

Jehovah certainly has sustained me in all my trials.
He also helped me to overcome my shyness and to be-
come a people-oriented missionary. (2 Tim. 1:7)
62 THE WATCHTOWER
Thanks to Jehovah, my younger sister and I are now
both in full-time service. Today, she and her husband
are serving in a Serbian circuit in Europe. My father’s
prayers spoken all those years ago were answered!
My study of the Bible gives me inner peace. In
difficult times, I have learned to pray “more earnestly,”
as Jesus did. (Luke 22:44) One way my prayers are an-
swered is through the love and kindness of the friends
in my congregation in Nadezhda, Sofia. They invite me
for association and often express their appreciation,
which gives me intense joy.
I often meditate on the resurrection. I imagine see-
ing my parents in front of our house, looking as beau-
tiful as they did when they got married. I see my sister
preparing a meal. I picture Heinz standing next to his
horse. Such images take my mind off negative feelings
and fill my heart with gratitude to Jehovah.
Reflecting on my life and looking to the future,
I wholeheartedly agree with David’s words found at
Psalm 27:13, 14: “Where would I be if I did not have
faith that I would see Jehovah’s goodness in the land
of the living? Hope in Jehovah; be courageous and
strong of heart. Yes, hope in Jehovah.”

AUGUST 2025 63
34567 ˙
August 2025
Vol. 146, No. 8 ENGLISH

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Study Article 32: October 13-19 2
How Jehovah Helps Us to Endure
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Study Article 33: October 20-26 14
Accept Jehovah’s Love
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Study Article 34: October 27–November 2 27
Accept Jehovah’s Forgiveness
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Study Article 35: November 3-9 39
How to Win the Fight Against
Wrong Desires
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LIFE STORY 52
My Journey From Shyness to
Missionary Service

This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide

Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations. To make
a donation, please visit donate.jw.org. Visit the jw.org website,
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the or scan code
modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.

s
The Watchtower (ISSN 0043-1087) August 2025 is published by Watch-
tower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.; Harold L. Corkern, Pres-
ident; Mark L. Questell, Secretary-Treasurer; 1000 Red Mills Road, Wallkill,
wlp25.08-E

NY 12589-3299, and by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada,

250410

13893 Highway 7, Georgetown, ON L7G 4S4. ˘ 2025 Watch Tower Bible and
Tract Society of Pennsylvania. Printed in Canada.