Joseph was about 17 years old when his own brothers out of jealousy sold him as a slave. Prior to this, Joseph had been his father’s favorite. (Gen. 37:2-4, 23-28) For about 13 years, Joseph had to endure slavery and imprisonment in Egypt, far away from his beloved father, Jacob. What helped Joseph not to give in to despair and bitterness? While suffering in prison, Joseph must have focused his mind on evidence of Jehovah’s blessing. (Gen. 39:21; Ps. 105:17-19) The prophetic dreams that Joseph had when he was younger would also have given him confidence that he had Jehovah’s favor. (Gen. 37:5-11) He likely poured out his anguish to Jehovah on more than one occasion. (Ps. 145:18) In response to Joseph’s heartfelt prayers, Jehovah gave him the inner conviction that He would be “with him” in all his trials. w18.10 28 ¶3-4

Jehovah expects his servants to care for their families. For example, you may have to work to provide financially for your loved ones. Many mothers stay at home to look after their infants. And some adult children may have to care for infirm parents. These are necessary activities. If you have such responsibilities, you likely cannot set aside as much time for theocratic activities as you would like to. But take heart! Jehovah is pleased when you provide for your family. (1 Cor. 10:31) If you do not have pressing family responsibilities, could you assist fellow worshippers who are caregivers and those who are infirm, elderly, or otherwise in need? Why not look around in your congregation and take note of who needs help? In doing so, you might be working with Jehovah to answer a prayer.​—1 Cor. 10:24. w18.08 24 ¶3, 5

On his final night with his disciples, Jesus mentioned love nearly 30 times. He specifically indicated that his disciples should “love one another.” (John 15:12, 17) Their love for one another would be so outstanding that it would clearly distinguish them as his true followers. (John 13:35) This love is not mere sentimentality. Jesus was referring to a most noble quality​—self-sacrificing love. He said: “No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his life in behalf of his friends. You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you.” (John 15:13, 14) The genuine, self-sacrificing love and unbreakable unity of Jehovah’s servants today identify them as God’s people. (1 John 3:10, 11) How grateful we are that Christlike love prevails among Jehovah’s servants regardless of their nationality, tribe, language, or background! w18.09 12 ¶1-2

Those who take the initiative to make peace have good reason to be happy. The disciple James wrote: “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peaceful conditions for those who are making peace.” (Jas. 3:18) When we have a strained relationship with someone either in the congregation or in the family, we can plead for God’s help to be peacemakers. Thus, Jehovah’s holy spirit, righteous conduct, and happiness can predominate. Jesus emphasized the importance of taking the initiative to make peace when he said: “If, then, you are bringing your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go away. First make your peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift.”​—Matt. 5:23, 24. w18.09 21 ¶17

Satan’s lie was malicious because he knew full well that if Eve believed him and ate the fruit, she would die. Eve and Adam both disobeyed Jehovah’s command and eventually died. (Gen. 3:6; 5:5) More than that, through such sin, “death spread to all men.” In fact, “death ruled as king . . . , even over those who had not sinned in the same way that Adam transgressed.” (Rom. 5:12, 14) Now, instead of being able to enjoy perfect, endless life as God had originally intended, humans are doing well if they live “70 years, or 80 if one is especially strong.” Even then, life is often “filled with trouble and sorrow.” (Ps. 90:10) How tragic​—all resulting from Satan’s lie! In explaining the Devil’s actions, Jesus stated: “He did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him.” (John 8:44) Truth is still not in Satan, for he continues “misleading the entire inhabited earth” with his lies. (Rev. 12:9) We do not want to be misled by the Devil. w18.10 6-7 ¶1-4

When we learned the truth, our interest in material things became secondary to our spiritual pursuits. We were happy to make material sacrifices in order to walk in the truth. Over time, however, we may see others buying the latest electronic devices or enjoying other material advantages. We could begin to feel that we are losing out. No longer content with the necessities, we might put spiritual pursuits aside in favor of accumulating material possessions. Such a course reminds us of Demas. His love for “the present system of things” led him to abandon a life of service with the apostle Paul. Why did Demas leave Paul? Whether he loved material things more than spiritual activities or he was no longer willing to make personal sacrifices in order to serve with Paul, the Bible does not say. We surely do not want to rekindle a desire for material things and let those attractions crowd out our love for the truth. w18.11 10 ¶9

Some people resist the idea of having anyone mold or influence their thoughts. “I think for myself,” they say. They probably mean that they make their own decisions and that it is proper to do so. They do not wish to be controlled, nor do they want to surrender their individuality. We can be assured, however, that bringing our thinking into harmony with Jehovah’s does not mean giving up all individual thought or expression. As stated at 2 Corinthians 3:17, “where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom.” We are free to develop our own distinct personalities. We can have our personal preferences and choose our fields of interest. Indeed, Jehovah designed us to do so. However, we cannot use our freedom without restraint. (1 Pet. 2:16) When it comes to issues of right and wrong, Jehovah wants us to be guided by his thinking as revealed in his Word. w18.11 19 ¶5-6