Plant While We Can... Until Jehovah Takes His Position

[Timl1980]

I know we are supposed to leave vengeance to Jehovah, but recently I had to reach to out a brother and have a little phone conversation because my heart was so indignant about a certain situation that had arisen.

 

Without going into too many details...I will just say that a person who had a genuine interest in the truth, (one whom I had been witnessing to), recently reached out to me and said his pastor had told him a lot of bad things about the Witnesses. He said that, while he himself had not researched this material...he had seen enough to convince him that Jehovah's Witnesses could not have the WHOLE truth...because of how many times the organization has been wrong and... (I could go on, but I am sure we have all heard these same tired arguments against us over and over again.) 

 

I used the usual reasoning points... and even told him just to keep reading and studying on his own...even if he didn't want to attend a meeting. He just shook his head and said, for now...he had heard enough...he was done.

 

I will not lie...I was deflated...my heart ached at seeing him slip away back into Satan's system. I tried to console myself by saying that something could change...he could always reach back out.

 

And while I know that's true...it still doesn't stop the hurt...the intense feeling that I had somehow failed...if only I had said this...or if only I had just been able to show him THAT!

 

So, as I always do in such situations...I reached out to a brother...and he shared three scriptures with me that sent my heart soaring...I am not joking...I felt so vindicated that I literally jumped up and pumped my fist into the air...as if I had just received an answer from Jehovah himself...and in truth...I think I had.

 

The brother started out by listening to me and, as usual...allowing me to deflate. Then, he said something that made me feel instantly better, though I've heard it and said it a thousand times before:

 

"Jehovah knows exactly how you feel, Tim. And guess what...as deeply as you feel about it...it hurts Jehovah even more. But...don't worry. Here... let me show you how deeply Jehovah feels about it. When you read these verses, please read them with feeling! Allow Jehovah to show YOU...in his own words...how he feels, not only about how badly people are being treated by false religion...but also how he feels when people mistreat US!"

 

I was already turning my bible to Zecheriah 2:8 when he said, "Please turn to the book of Isaiah..." 🙈 Quickly I checked my ego at the door and humbly turned to Isaiah, waiting for him to join me there.

 

"Now...please read verses 13-15...and try to read them with feeling...allow those emotions you're feeling to really sink into Jehovah's words."

 

"Jehovah is taking his position to accuse; He is standing up to pass sentence on peoples.14 Jehovah will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of his people. “You have burned down the vineyard, And what you have stolen from the poor is in your houses.15 How dare you crush my people And grind the faces of the poor in the dirt?” declares the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies."

 

I got chills just reading the words off the page...even now I get goosebumps. 

 

The brother then explained that Jehovah has the same feelings as us...but to a much higher degree. He also shared some information with me regarding the meaning of the words in Hebrew used in verse 15...to Jehovah...it's like Satan and his system puts our faces between two millstones and grinds them into nothingness...determined to extract every single last morsel out of us before finally crushing us into nonexistence...or breaking our spirits.

 

After a few more minutes of conversation...he ended with the following... "Jehovah knows his own...and will not allow anyone who deserves a chance at everlasting life to be destroyed. As hard as it is...our job is to try to reach as many as possible and plant those seeds while there is still time...and then wait...until Jehovah takes his position!

 

 

 

 

 

[LeolaRootStew]

I'm sorry it didn't go the way you hoped.

I think the Love People book has the right mindset:

 

"Try to leave on good terms so that the person may be willing to converse with us in the future.—1 Pet. 2:12"

Quote

• 12Maintain your conduct fine among the nations, so that when they accuse you of being wrongdoers, they may be eyewitnesses of your fine works and, as a result, glorify God in the day of his inspection.

 

Sometimes the best thing we can do is leave a good impression when they leave. Who knows, it could be that over time the contrast between your conduct and that Pastor will be exactly what pushes him back toward the truth. 💜

Edited December 16, 2023 by LeolaRootStew

[BLEmom]

7 hours ago, Timl1980 said:

I know we are supposed to leave vengeance to Jehovah, but recently I had to reach to out a brother and have a little phone conversation because my heart was so indignant about a certain situation that had arisen.

 

Without going into too many details...I will just say that a person who had a genuine interest in the truth, (one whom I had been witnessing to), recently reached out to me and said his pastor had told him a lot of bad things about the Witnesses. He said that, while he himself had not researched this material...he had seen enough to convince him that Jehovah's Witnesses could not have the WHOLE truth...because of how many times the organization has been wrong and... (I could go on, but I am sure we have all heard these same tired arguments against us over and over again.) 

 

I used the usual reasoning points... and even told him just to keep reading and studying on his own...even if he didn't want to attend a meeting. He just shook his head and said, for now...he had heard enough...he was done.

 

I will not lie...I was deflated...my heart ached at seeing him slip away back into Satan's system. I tried to console myself by saying that something could change...he could always reach back out.

 

And while I know that's true...it still doesn't stop the hurt...the intense feeling that I had somehow failed...if only I had said this...or if only I had just been able to show him THAT!

 

So, as I always do in such situations...I reached out to a brother...and he shared three scriptures with me that sent my heart soaring...I am not joking...I felt so vindicated that I literally jumped up and pumped my fist into the air...as if I had just received an answer from Jehovah himself...and in truth...I think I had.

 

The brother started out by listening to me and, as usual...allowing me to deflate. Then, he said something that made me feel instantly better, though I've heard it and said it a thousand times before:

 

"Jehovah knows exactly how you feel, Tim. And guess what...as deeply as you feel about it...it hurts Jehovah even more. But...don't worry. Here... let me show you how deeply Jehovah feels about it. When you read these verses, please read them with feeling! Allow Jehovah to show YOU...in his own words...how he feels, not only about how badly people are being treated by false religion...but also how he feels when people mistreat US!"

 

I was already turning my bible to Zecheriah 2:8 when he said, "Please turn to the book of Isaiah..." 🙈 Quickly I checked my ego at the door and humbly turned to Isaiah, waiting for him to join me there.

 

"Now...please read verses 13-15...and try to read them with feeling...allow those emotions you're feeling to really sink into Jehovah's words."

 

"Jehovah is taking his position to accuse; He is standing up to pass sentence on peoples.14 Jehovah will enter into judgment with the elders and princes of his people. “You have burned down the vineyard, And what you have stolen from the poor is in your houses.15 How dare you crush my people And grind the faces of the poor in the dirt?” declares the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies."

 

I got chills just reading the words off the page...even now I get goosebumps. 

 

The brother then explained that Jehovah has the same feelings as us...but to a much higher degree. He also shared some information with me regarding the meaning of the words in Hebrew used in verse 15...to Jehovah...it's like Satan and his system puts our faces between two millstones and grinds them into nothingness...determined to extract every single last morsel out of us before finally crushing us into nonexistence...or breaking our spirits.

 

After a few more minutes of conversation...he ended with the following... "Jehovah knows his own...and will not allow anyone who deserves a chance at everlasting life to be destroyed. As hard as it is...our job is to try to reach as many as possible and plant those seeds while there is still time...and then wait...until Jehovah takes his position!

 

 

 

 

 

Sounds like the householder has trust issues. He chose to trust his pastor who he’s known longer. Not too unusual. Maybe with time he will lose trust in the pastor and then be able to take another look at the truth. 

[Timl1980]

Thank you for your kind comments. I will be seeing him again next week, and I've determined that I'm going to continue to be there if he wants to talk... but allow Jehovah to take over and continue to tug on his heart... provided he has the three H's... humility, hunger and honesty. I'm not the decider in this situation... I'm merely an imperfect vessel who is trying to help someone come to know Jehovah the same way I do. I am simply grateful that Jehovah has found me useful in some way.