STUDY

ARTICLE 3

Jehovah Will Help You

During Difficult Times
SONG 124
Ever Loyal “[Jehovah] is the stability of your times.”—ISA. 33:6.

FOCUS
What we can do to benefit
from Jehovah’s help during
difficult times.
TRAGIC events can change our life overnight. For exam-
ple, a faithful brother named Luis1 was diagnosed with a
rare form of cancer. The doctor told him that he had only
a few months to live. Monika and her husband were busy
in spiritual activities. Then one day, Monika learned that
her husband, an elder, had been living a double life for
years. Olivia, a single sister, was forced to evacuate her
home because a devastating hurricane was approaching.
When she returned, she found that the storm had de-
stroyed her house. In one brief moment, the lives of
these individuals changed drastically. Can you relate to
what they experienced? Have you faced an event that
suddenly turned your world upside down?
2 As faithful servants of Jehovah, we face difficulties

and infirmities that are common to all mankind. We

may also have to endure opposition or persecution from
those who hate God’s people. Though Jehovah does not
shield us from such hardships, he does promise to help
us. (Isa. 41:10) With his assistance, we can maintain our
joy, make good decisions, and stay loyal to him even
through the most difficult situations. In this article, we
will examine four ways that Jehovah helps us during
dark times in our life. We will also consider what we need
to do to benefit from the help that he provides.
1 Some names have been changed.

1-2. What challenges may faithful servants of Jehovah face?

20

JEHOVAH WILL GUARD YOU
3 The challenge. When we experience a
tragic event, we may find it difficult to
think clearly and make decisions. Why?
Our heart may be in extreme pain. Our
mind may feel weighed down by anxi-
ety. We could feel as if we were wan-
dering through a fog, uncertain which
direction to take. Note how the two sis-
ters mentioned earlier felt during their
trials. Olivia says: “After the hurri-
cane demolished my home, I felt lost
and completely overwhelmed.” Monika
says regarding her husband’s betrayal:
“I felt more than disappointed. I felt a
pain that truly crushed me from within.
I didn’t know how to function normal-
ly anymore. What seemed unbelievable
had happened to me.” How does Jeho-
vah promise to help us when we feel
overwhelmed?
4 What Jehovah does. He promises to
give us what the Bible calls “the peace
of God.” (Read Philippians 4:6, 7.)
This peace refers to the calmness and
tranquility of mind and heart that re-
3. When we go through a tragic event, what may
we find difficult to do?
4. According to Philippians 4:6, 7, what does Je-
hovah promise us?
Pray until you feel “the
peace of God” guarding
your heart and mind
(See paragraphs 4-6)
sult from our precious relationship with
him. This peace “surpasses all under-
standing”; it is more wonderful than we
can imagine. Have you ever felt sur-
prisingly calm after praying fervently to
Jehovah? That feeling is “the peace of
God.”
5 The same passage states that the
peace of God “will guard,” or protect,
“your hearts and your mental powers.”
The original word for “guard” was a
military expression and was used to re-
fer to soldiers who guarded a city and
kept it safe from attack. The inhabi-
tants of a guarded city slept in peace,
knowing that troops were posted at the
gates. Similarly, when the peace of God
guards our hearts and minds, we feel
calm, knowing that we are safe. (Ps.
4:8) As in the case of Hannah, even if
our situation does not change imme-
diately, we can still feel a measure of
peace. (1 Sam. 1:16-18) And when we
feel calm, we often find it easier to think
clearly and make wise decisions.
6 What we need to do. When you are
5. How does the peace of God guard our minds
and hearts?
6. What can we do to benefit from the peace of
God? (See also picture.)
JANUARY 2024 21
Stabilize yourself with the
help of our research tools
(See paragraphs 8-9)
troubled, summon the guard, so to
speak. How? Pray until you feel the
peace of God. (Luke 11:9; 1 Thess. 5:17)
Luis, mentioned earlier, explained how
he and his wife, Ana, were able to cope
when they learned that he had only a few
months left to live. He said: “In a mo-
ment like this, it is extremely difficult to
make decisions about health care and
other matters. But prayer has been in-
dispensable in bringing us peace dur-
ing this process.” Luis and his wife said
that they prayed intensely and repeated-
ly, asking Jehovah to give them peace of
mind, a calm heart, and the wisdom to
make good decisions. And they felt his
help. If you are facing a crisis, persevere
in prayer, and you will experience Jeho-
vah’s peace as it guards your heart and
mind.—Rom. 12:12.
JEHOVAH WILL STABILIZE YOU
7The challenge. When we go through
a difficult trial, our feelings, thoughts,
and reactions may not be as balanced as
they normally are. We could feel as if we
were being tossed from one strong emo-
tion to the next. Ana, mentioned earli-
7. What might we feel when we experience a dif-
ficult trial?
22 THE WATCHTOWER
er, stated that she went through a wide
range of emotions after Luis’ death. She
said: “When feelings of emptiness set in,
I would start feeling sorry for myself. I
would also get angry that he was gone.”
Furthermore, Ana felt lonely and was
frustrated at having to make decisions
on matters that Luis had cared for so
well. At times, she felt that she was in a
storm at sea. How does Jehovah help
us when such emotions begin flooding
over us?
8 What Jehovah does. He assures us
that he will stabilize us. (Read Isaiah
33:6.) When a ship encounters a storm,
it may begin to rock dangerously from
side to side. To counteract this move-
ment, many ships have stabilizers that
extend from each side of the ship under
the water. These stabilizers can signif-
icantly reduce the rocking of the ship,
making the situation safer and more
bearable for passengers. However, many
stabilization systems work best when the
ship is moving forward. Similarly, Jeho-
vah will stabilize us as we move forward
faithfully in times of trial.
8. As stated at Isaiah 33:6, of what does Jehovah
assure us?
 9 What we need to do. When you are
in the midst of an emotional storm, do
your best to keep up with your spiri-
tual routine. Granted, you may not be
able to do as much as you could be-
fore, but remember that Jehovah is
reasonable. (Compare Luke 21:1- 4.)
As part of your spiritual routine, set
aside time for personal study and medi-
tation. Why? Through his organiza-
tion, Jehovah has provided outstand-
ing Scriptural information that can help
us maintain our balance. To find what
you need, you can use research tools
available in your language, such as the
JW Library˙ app, Watch Tower Publica-
tions Index, and Research Guide for Je-
hovah’s Witnesses. Monika, mentioned
earlier, stated that she turned to the re-
search tools for advice when she felt an
emotional storm coming. For example,
she searched the word “anger.” At other
times, she searched “betrayal” or “loyal-
ty.” Then she would read until she felt
better. She said: “What started as fran-
tic keystrokes turned into a hug from
9. How can our research tools help us to maintain
our balance? (See also picture.)
Jehovah. As I read, I came to realize
that Jehovah understood all my differ-
ent feelings, and he was helping me.”
Such assistance from Jehovah can also
help you to maintain your balance until
you reach calmer waters.—Ps. 119:143,
144.
JEHOVAH WILL SUPPORT YOU
10 The challenge. After a traumatic
event, there may be days when we feel
weak physically and emotionally. We
might feel like an injured athlete who
used to run fast but now walks with a
limp. We may struggle with tasks that
we could previously do with ease, or we
may have little motivation to engage in
activities we once enjoyed. Like Elijah,
we could feel that it is too hard to get
up. We just want to sleep. (1 Ki. 19:5-7)
What does Jehovah promise to do when
we feel weak?
11 What Jehovah does. He promises to
support us. (Read Psalm 94:18.) Just
as an injured athlete needs support to
10. How may we feel after a traumatic event?
11. What is another way Jehovah helps us? (Psalm
94:18)
Welcome the support of your
family, friends, and elders
(See paragraphs 11-13)
JANUARY 2024 23
 move about, we may need help to keep
active in Jehovah’s service. In those mo-
ments, Jehovah assures us: “I, Jehovah
your God, am grasping your right hand,
the One saying to you, ‘Do not be afraid.
I will help you.’” (Isa. 41:13) King David
experienced this help. When faced with
trials and enemies, he said to Jehovah:
“Your right hand supports me.” (Ps. 18:
35) But how does Jehovah provide sup-
port?
12 Jehovah often supports us by moti-
vating others to help us. For example,
once when David felt weak, his friend
Jonathan visited him to provide emo-
tional support and words of encourage-
ment. (1 Sam. 23:16, 17) Similarly, Je-
hovah chose Elisha to provide practical
help to Elijah. (1 Ki. 19:16, 21; 2 Ki.
2:2) Today, Jehovah may use family,
friends, or the elders to support us.
However, when we are hurt, we may be
inclined to withdraw. We just want to be
left alone. That is a normal reaction.
What can we do to receive Jehovah’s
support?
12. Whom may Jehovah use to help us when we
are weak?
Let your heavenly Father
console you through
the Scriptures
(See paragraphs 15-16)
24 THE WATCHTOWER
13 What we need to do. Fight the urge to
isolate yourself. When we isolate our-
selves, our focus often narrows, and we
begin to think only about ourselves and
the problems we are going through. This
type of thinking can affect the decisions
we make. (Prov. 18:1) Of course, we all
need moments to be alone, especially
when confronted with tragic situations.
However, if we were to isolate ourselves
for an extended period, we could push
away the very means that Jehovah is us-
ing to support us. So as hard as it may
be during a difficult time, welcome the
help of your family, friends, and elders.
View them for what they are—Jehovah’s
means of supporting you.—Prov. 17:17;
Isa. 32:1, 2.
JEHOVAH WILL COMFORT YOU
14 The challenge. We may go through
moments when we feel frightened. In
the Bible, faithful servants of God speak
of times when they were in distress and
13. What do we need to do in order to benefit from
Jehovah’s support? (See also picture.)
14. What frightening situations could we encoun-
ter?
 trembling because of their enemies or
other pressures. (Ps. 18:4; 55:1, 5) Simi-
larly, we could be facing opposition at
school, at work, from our family, or
from the government. We could even be
facing death because of a medical prob-
lem. During such times, we may feel as
helpless as a small child. How does Je-
hovah help us in moments like these?
15 What Jehovah does. He comforts
and soothes us. (Read Psalm 94:19.)
This psalm may make us think of a little
girl who is scared and unable to sleep be-
cause of a bad thunderstorm. We can
picture her father coming in, picking her
up, and holding her in his arms until she
falls asleep. Although the storm is still
raging, her father’s comforting embrace
makes her feel safe. When we face fright-
ening trials, we may need our heavenly
Father to hold us figuratively until the
intense feelings pass. How can we re-
ceive such comfort from Jehovah?
16 What we need to do. Regularly spend
time with Jehovah—praying to him and
reading his Word. (Ps. 77:1, 12-14) Then
15. What assurance does Psalm 94:19 provide?
16. What can we do to benefit from Jehovah’s
comfort? (See also picture.)
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
˛ When may we especially ˛ In what four ways does
need Jehovah’s help? Jehovah help us during
times of distress?
when you are under stress, your first
thought will likely be to turn to your
heavenly Father. Share your fears and
concerns with Jehovah. Let him
talk to you and console you through
the Scriptures. (Ps. 119:28) You may
find that specific portions of the Bi-
ble can be particularly comforting when
you are afraid. For example, you may
find encouragement in the books of Job,
Psalms, and Proverbs as well as in Jesus’
words found in Matthew chapter 6. As
you pray to Jehovah and read his Word,
you will feel his comfort.
17 We can have confidence that Jeho-
vah will be there for us during dark
times in our life. We will never be alone.
(Ps. 23:4; 94:14) Jehovah promises to
guard, stabilize, support, and comfort
us. Regarding Jehovah, Isaiah 26:3 says:
“You will safeguard those who fully lean
on you; you will give them continuous
peace, because it is in you that they
trust.” So trust in Jehovah, and take ad-
vantage of the means he uses to help
you. If you do, you will regain strength
even during difficult times.
17. What confidence can we have?
˛ What can we do to benefit
from Jehovah’s help?
SONG 12
Great God, Jehovah