PART FIVE

Return to “the Shepherd and Overseer of Your Souls”

Return to “the Shepherd and Overseer of Your Souls”

Were you able to relate to one or more of the challenges discussed in this brochure? If so, you are in good company. Many faithful servants of God​—both in Bible times and in our day—​have dealt with similar challenges. Just as they received help from Jehovah to overcome such challenges, so can you.

Jehovah will be there for you as you return to him

BE ASSURED that Jehovah will be there for you as you return to him. He will help you to deal with anxiety, to resolve hurt feelings, and to find the peace of mind and heart that comes from having a clean conscience. Then you may once again feel moved to serve Jehovah along with fellow worshippers. Your situation will be similar to that of some first-century Christians, to whom the apostle Peter wrote: “You were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.”​—1 Peter 2:25.

Returning to Jehovah is absolutely the best thing you can do. Why? You will bring joy to Jehovah’s heart. (Proverbs 27:11) As you know, Jehovah has feelings, so our actions affect him. Of course, Jehovah does not force us to love and serve him. (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20) One Bible scholar put it this way: “There is no handle on the outside of the door of the human heart. It must be opened from within.” By worshipping Jehovah out of a heart full of love, we can choose to open that door. When we do so, we give him a precious gift​—our integrity—​and we bring tremendous joy to his heart. Really, nothing can compare to the happiness we experience from giving Jehovah the worship he deserves.​—Acts 20:35; Revelation 4:11.

Moreover, when you resume your Christian worship, your spiritual need will be filled. (Matthew 5:3) In what way? People around the world wonder, ‘Why are we here?’ They hunger for answers to questions about the purpose of life. Humans have that need because Jehovah created them with it. He designed us to find fulfillment in serving him. We can have no greater satisfaction than that which comes from knowing that we are worshipping Jehovah out of love.​—Psalm 63:1-5.

Please know that Jehovah wants you to return to him. How can you be sure? Consider: With much prayer, this brochure was carefully prepared. It was brought to your attention, perhaps by a Christian elder or another fellow believer. Then you were moved to read it and respond to its message. All of this is proof that Jehovah has not forgotten you. On the contrary, he is gently drawing you back to him.​—John 6:44.

We can gain comfort from knowing that Jehovah never forgets his lost servants. That is what a sister named Donna came to appreciate. She said: I had slowly drifted away from the truth, but I often found myself reflecting on Psalm 139:23, 24, which says: ‘Search through me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me, and know my anxious thoughts. See whether there is in me any harmful way, and lead me in the way of eternity.’ I knew that I didn’t belong in the world​—I never really fit in there—​and I knew that Jehovah’s organization was where I needed to be. I began to see that Jehovah never left me; I just needed to find my way back to him. And I’m so happy that I did!”

“I began to see that Jehovah never left me; I just needed to find my way back to him”

It is our sincere prayer that you too will experience once again “the joy of Jehovah.” (Nehemiah 8:10) You will never regret returning to Jehovah.