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A Joyful People​—Why?

TRUE Christians today are a joyful people. After all, we serve “the happy God,” Jehovah. (1 Timothy 1:11) He supplies us with his spirit, and a fruit of that spirit is joy.​—Galatians 5:22.

Such deep-seated joy is resilient and stands up to pressure. For example, Jesus Christ was subjected to the pain of impalement and the disgrace of being executed as a blasphemer. Yet, “for the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake.” (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus knew that ahead of him lay grand opportunities and privileges in connection with his service to Jehovah. Focusing on these future privileges helped him to maintain his joy in the midst of suffering.

Jesus wants his disciples to be joyful also. He said: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and your joy may be made full.” (John 15:11) This has proved true of Jehovah’s Witnesses today. Many are the reasons that we are a joyful people. We know the truth, which has freed us from the grip of superstition and false religious beliefs. (John 8:32) Then, too, we know where we are in the stream of time and rejoice in the soon-to-be-realized hope of salvation. (Luke 21:28) We are also protected from many of the problems​—among them sexually transmitted diseases—​faced by those who do not practice Bible-based morality. We enjoy the very finest of association with people interested in doing Jehovah’s will. And, yes, we have the grand privilege of sharing in preaching the good news of the Kingdom and making disciples of sheeplike ones.​—Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20.

But while this is true of Jehovah’s Witnesses as a whole, what about you as an individual? Why can it be said that you have reason to rejoice along with the rest of Jehovah’s people?

Finding Joy in the Evangelizing Work

Some find it difficult to engage in the house-to-house preaching work. Perhaps they are uneasy about approaching strangers and striking up conversations. Or they may simply feel inadequate when it comes to teaching others. Do you feel that way at times? If so, how can you find joy in the evangelizing work?

First of all, keep a positive attitude. Many people would be thrilled to be employed by some celebrity or well-known politician. But what greater joy we should find in being used by “the King of eternity,” Jehovah God himself!​—1 Timothy 1:17.

Remember, too, that this is a never-to-be-repeated work. Just think! The angels themselves are guiding and directing Christians here on earth in their endeavors to locate sheeplike ones. (Revelation 14:6) Does this not bring joy to your heart?

Finding Joy in Kingdom Increase

Another reason to have a positive view of the preaching work is the fine effect it is having. The Bible foretold: “The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, shall speed it up in its own time.” (Isaiah 60:22) This promise of Jehovah has come true in recent times. For example, during the 1986 service year, 225,868 were baptized in symbol of their whole-souled dedication to Jehovah God. There was an increase of 6.9 percent in the average number sharing in spreading the Bible’s truths to others.

No doubt this increase is evident in your own congregation or circuit. New ones are coming to meetings and making necessary changes in their lives so as to be able to serve God. Does this not point to the fact that the preaching work has Jehovah’s blessing? Having a share in this increase can thus be a source of great joy to you. True, you may not have personally studied with an individual to the point of his getting baptized. But we cannot take credit for bringing someone into the truth anyway. ‘God makes it grow,’ said Paul. (1 Corinthians 3:6-9) All members of the congregation have a share in helping new ones. How? By being present at meetings, commenting, hospitably greeting new ones, and conducting themselves in a way that makes the truth appealing.

However, greater joy can be obtained if you have a more direct share in the house-to-house preaching activity and the home Bible study work. Last year, on the average, 2,726,252 weekly Bible studies were conducted. Why not make more of an effort to share in this joyous work? Offer a Bible study to someone you know, perhaps a neighbor or an individual with whom you have placed literature. Ask Jehovah for help in locating such a sheeplike person.

Overcoming Obstacles to Joy

Of course, if a person feels inadequate about teaching others, this can be a real obstacle to his finding joy in the field ministry. Remember, though, that “our being adequately qualified issues from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:5) And through his organization Jehovah has provided many fine aids to help us qualify as effective ministers.

First of all, there are many among us who have been serving God for a long time and have much experience in the field ministry. We can join these experienced ministers in their activity and learn from them. Moreover, every month fine suggestions appear in Our Kingdom Ministry. Then there is the publication Reasoning From the Scriptures, which contains a wealth of information to sharpen our preaching skills. Utilize these tools and prepare more thoroughly for the field ministry. Think of new and interesting ways to introduce yourself at the door. Or consider different ways to draw householders into conversations. As you become more effective in the field, your enthusiasm and joy in preaching will doubtless increase.

The ministry is more enjoyable when we are able to talk to people. In some territories this admittedly is a problem. Can you arrange to share in the field service at a time when more people are at home, such as in the early evening? Many find doing so quite effective. You can also take the initiative and talk to people wherever they are to be found​—on the streets, sitting on park benches, washing their cars. Remember that people need the truth and that lives are involved. This can help motivate you to overcome tendencies toward shyness. While it is true that the vast majority of people will not respond favorably, those who do so bring us much joy.

However, one of the greatest aids to our maintaining joy is prayer. Ask Jehovah for his spirit to strengthen and encourage you. Paul said: “For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me.” (Philippians 4:13) We can feel that way, too, as we learn to rely more fully on Jehovah.

Enduring as a Joyful People

Many individuals do not appreciate our work. Jesus was aware that this would be the case. So when he sent his followers out to preach, he counseled them: “Wherever anyone does not take you in or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city shake the dust off your feet. . . . Look! I am sending you forth as sheep amidst wolves; therefore prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves.” Jesus also said: “The very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore have no fear.”​—Matthew 10:11-16, 30, 31.

These words help us to endure joyfully. They help us to realize that when we meet people who do not appreciate our efforts on their behalf, we are still making Jehovah’s name known; we are still praising him. (Psalm 100:4, 5) Interestingly, at times householders who refuse to open the door can be heard to say to others: “It was Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Yes, without our saying a word, Jehovah’s name has been magnified, and people have received the opportunity to accept or reject the truth. (Matthew 25:31, 32) So even unresponsive territories can be endured joyfully.

Besides, we never know when such individuals may have a change of attitude. One day, a woman who had turned a Christian sister away from her door on a number of occasions asked the sister if she had any new literature. The sister was surprised and remarked that the woman had never accepted Bible literature before. The woman explained that her husband worked with a man who was studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. He had given her and her husband one of the Watch Tower Society’s publications. Out of curiosity, the woman had read it and had recognized the message as the truth. So she decided then and there that the next time a Witness called she would let him in. A home Bible study was started, and the woman later became a dedicated witness of Jehovah!

We thus have a grand privilege​—a joyful privilege—​of declaring the only message of hope in the world. And the preaching work is the assignment God has given us during these last days. It must be done before the end comes. (Matthew 24:14) How long will it be before the end of Satan’s wicked system? We know the end will not come late. (Compare Habakkuk 2:3.) In the meantime, there is still time for others to learn the truth. Let us take advantage of this remaining time and zealously be at our preaching work. And let us have a positive attitude, working hard so as to ‘save both ourselves and those who listen to us.’ (1 Timothy 4:16) In doing so, we will remain a joyful people sharing in Kingdom increase.

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Our evangelizing work is a source of true joy​—even when people do not respond to the Kingdom message