Sometimes I still take a quick glance at the Daily Test, usually to remind myself what I don't miss. Yesterday's and today's texts caught my eye, they were both very guilt inducing, as usual.
Yesterday's text:
"Thursday, October 18- Here I am! Send me.—Isa. 6:8.
Gaining God’s approval involves the proper exercise of our free will. This is because Jehovah does not coerce anyone into serving him. In Isaiah’s time, He asked: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” By recognizing the prophet’s right to decide, Jehovah dignified him. Imagine Isaiah’s satisfaction in responding with the words of today’s text. Humans are free to serve God or not to do so. Jehovah wants us to serve him willingly. (Josh. 24:15) Any who begrudge God their worship cannot be pleasing to him; nor does he accept the devotion of those whose true intent is only to please other humans. (Col. 3:22) If we rendered sacred service “hesitantly” by allowing worldly interests to interfere with our worship, we would not win God’s approval. (Ex. 22:29) Jehovah knows that serving him whole-souled is good for us. Moses urged the Israelites to choose life ‘by loving Jehovah their God, by listening to his voice and by sticking to him.’—Deut. 30:19, 20. w11 2/15 2:8, 9"
It's no wonder that very often I thought it was impossible to please God and get throught the Great Tribulation safely. Sometimes I no longer even cared if I'd make it or not, not being alive didn't seem so bad to me. The thing is, the Org makes worship tedious, boring, uninspired, a matter of keeping up appearances. You are constantly pressured to do this and do that, do more, stop wasting time, don't think about yourself and your needs and wants. You can do that later. Under these circumstances how can people not serve begrudgingly? It's hardly surprising. In the last years I noticed that the majority of Witnesses are tired, worn out and just want the end to come, so they can be done with their routines. Life is passing them by. It's really great to be free of all these tedious routines, it's refreshing for the mind and the whole being.
The writers always like to speak for God, their version of God is one that is never pleased, always demanding, seems to like watching his servants tire out and have as little joy as possible.
Here's today's text:
"Friday, October 19- Let us also put off every weight . . . , and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.—Heb. 12:1.
Likening the Christian life course to a long-distance footrace, the apostle Paul recommended the above. His point was that we must avoid needless pursuits, needless weights, that will tire us out. It may be that some of us are simply trying to squeeze too much into already busy lives. So if you often feel tired and under pressure, you might benefit from reviewing how you meet the demands of secular work, the frequency with which you travel for pleasure, and the intensity with which you pursue sports or other leisure activities. Reasonableness and modesty should move all of us to recognize our limitations and keep unnecessary commitments to a minimum. Do not let fatigue cause you to miss out on eternal blessings. Every trial—whether caused by temptation, tiredness, or discouragement—will pass, if not immediately, then in God’s new world. w11 1/15 4:16, 18"
It's fascinating how these two daily text comments tie in nicely. Again there is this "do more, stop wasting your time you idiot" undertone. Who decides what needless pursuits are? Everything is needless to the writers of these articles. If you're not pioneering, you have to be caught up in plenty of needless pursuits! They live in their sheltered little WT-Disney-World not having to worry about daily chores, about making a living and providing for yourself and your family, trying to not let your home become a mess... it seems easy for them to worry about needless pursuits. Perhaps they should cut down on meetings, one weekly meeting and folks might be doing better already. They just might be less tired out. But nah, they have to be under control, kept on a tight leash. Life as a JW= "trying to squeeze too much into already busy lives". But the problem is hardly the secular part of life, it's just a part of how we have to live these days, if we want to survive. How many people have little funds to even think about travel for pleasure? How much traveling do the members of the Governing Body do, for which they don't have to pay, but the hardworking, hardpressed Witnesses do? The Org leaders are the ones who force too much into already too busy lives of people. The most unnecessary commitment anyone can make: become a Jehovah's Witness. Even if you believe in God, like I do, you can serve him far better by not being a Witness.
I bet all the Witnesses who read these daily texts are feeling so much better now. They must be overflowing with energy and positivity.