Wednesday, August 20

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor has he repaid us what our errors deserve.​—Ps. 103:10.

Samson had made a serious mistake, but he did not give up. He looked for an opportunity to fulfill his God-given assignment against the Philistines. (Judg. 16:28-30) Samson begged Jehovah: “Let me take revenge on the Philistines.” The true God answered Samson’s plea and restored his miraculous strength. As a result, Samson was more successful against the Philistines on this occasion than ever before. Although Samson experienced the painful consequences of his mistake, he did not stop trying to do Jehovah’s will. Even if we make a mistake and need reproof or lose a privilege, we must not give up. Remember, Jehovah does not give up on us. (Ps. 103:8, 9) Despite our mistakes, we can still be useful to Jehovah, just as Samson was. w23.09 37:15-16

Thursday, August 21

Endurance [produces] an approved condition; the approved condition, in turn, hope.​—Rom. 5:4.

Your endurance brings Jehovah’s approval. This does not mean that Jehovah is pleased that you are experiencing trials or problems. What God approves of is you. Your endurance results in an approved condition. What an amazing blessing! (Ps. 5:12) Recall that Abraham endured tests and enjoyed divine approval. Jehovah viewed him as His friend and counted him as righteous. (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:13, 22) The same can be true of us. God does not base his approval on the amount of work we do in his service or on the privileges we enjoy. He grants his approval because of our faithful endurance. And no matter what our age, circumstance, or ability is, all of us can endure. Are you faithfully enduring a trial right now? If so, take comfort in knowing that you have God’s approval. Realizing that we have God’s approval can have a powerful effect on us. It can strengthen our hope. w23.12 51:13-14

Friday, August 22

Prove yourself a man.​—1 Ki. 2:2.

A Christian man must learn to communicate well. A man who is a good communicator listens to and acknowledges the thoughts and feelings of others. (Prov. 20:5) He can learn to read another person’s tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. You cannot learn to do this without spending time with people. If you constantly use electronic tools to communicate, such as email and texting, your ability to communicate with people in person could weaken. Therefore, create opportunities to talk with others in person. (2 John 12) A mature Christian man must also be able to support himself and his household. (1 Tim. 5:8) It is good to learn a skill that will help you to find employment. (Acts 18:2, 3; 20:34; Eph. 4:28) Gain the reputation of being someone who works hard and who sticks to a task until it is completed. If you do, you will be more likely to get a job and keep it. w23.12 53:12-13