Am I Doing Enough?
1. What concerns might a faithful Christian have?
1 Have you ever asked yourself that question? Perhaps your share in the ministry has diminished because of advancing age, health issues, or increased family responsibilities, causing you discouragement. One sister with three children wrote that sometimes she feels guilty because the time and energy needed to care for her family limits what she can do in the ministry. What will help us to view matters in a balanced way?
2. What does Jehovah expect of us?
2 What Jehovah Expects of Us: No doubt, all of us would like to do more in the ministry. But there often is a big difference between what we would like to do and what we realistically can do. The fact that we would like to do more shows that we are not complacent. We should remember that Jehovah well knows our limitations and does not require more than we can reasonably do. (Ps. 103:13, 14) What does he expect of us? He wants us to serve him whole-souled, to give him our best.—Col. 3:23.
3. How can we evaluate our efforts in the ministry?
3 What will assist us in determining what is realistic for ourselves? We can ask Jehovah to help us to see our situation objectively. (Ps. 26:2) A trusted, mature Christian friend who knows us well and who is not afraid to tell us whether we need to improve may also be of assistance. (Prov. 27:9) Remember, too, that since circumstances change, it is beneficial to evaluate our situation regularly.—Eph. 5:10.
4. How should we view Bible-based reminders regarding the ministry?
4 How to View Reminders: During a race, well-wishers often call out encouragement. The purpose is to help the runners to reach their goal, not to demoralize them. Similarly, the Bible-based encouragement and reminders given at our meetings and in our publications to ‘preach the word urgently’ are for our benefit and are not to imply that our efforts are in some way insufficient. (2 Tim. 4:2) We can be confident that as long as we keep trying to do our best, Jehovah will remember our ‘love and works’ with favor.—Heb. 6:10.