In such a separation, the two are still marriage mates and, even though living apart, would still face challenges. The apostle Paul gave this reason for staying united: “The unbelieving husband is sanctified in relation to his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in relation to the brother; otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.” (1 Cor. 7:14) Many loyal Christians have remained with an unbelieving mate under very trying circumstances. They can testify that doing so was worthwhile in a special sense when their mate became a true worshipper. (1 Cor. 7:16; 1 Pet. 3:1, 2) Worldwide today, the Christian congregation abounds with successful marriages. You can likely find many happy couples in your local congregation. They are made up of loyal brothers who love their wife and devoted wives who prove to be loving mates, all showing that marriage can be honorable.​—Heb. 13:4. w18.12 14 ¶18-19

A faithful Christian sister named Yoshiko received bad news. Her doctor said that she had only a few months to live. How did she react? Yoshiko recalled a favorite Bible verse, today’s text. She then calmly told her doctor that she was not afraid, because Jehovah was grasping her hand. The comforting message found in that verse helped our dear sister to trust in Jehovah completely. That same verse can help us remain calm when dealing with severe trials. Initially, Jehovah had Isaiah record those words to comfort the Jews who would later be taken to Babylon as exiles. However, Jehovah had that message preserved for the benefit of not only the Jewish exiles but also all his people since that time. (Isa. 40:8; Rom. 15:4) Today, we live in “critical times hard to deal with,” and more than ever, we need the encouragement found in the book of Isaiah.​—2 Tim. 3:1. w19.01 2 ¶1-2

We might ask ourselves: ‘Am I doing the same? Am I doing what the compassionate Samaritan did?’ (Luke 10:30-35) ‘Could I more actively display mercy and engage in positive deeds of kindness toward those who are suffering? For instance, could I offer practical help to older fellow Christians, widows, and those who are spiritually fatherless children? Can I take the initiative to “speak consolingly to those who are depressed”?’ (1 Thess. 5:14; Jas. 1:27) When we display mercy toward others, we enjoy the happiness that results from giving. Moreover, we know that we are pleasing Jehovah. (Acts 20:35;Heb. 13:16) Regarding a person who shows consideration, King David said: “Jehovah will guard him and keep him alive. He will be pronounced happy in the earth.” (Ps. 41:1, 2) Giving expression to our feelings of compassion will also put us in line to receive Jehovah’s mercy, which in turn can result in our being eternally happy.​—Jas. 2:13. w18.09 19 ¶11-12

Consider how our physical health illustrates the importance of who we are on the inside. First, to keep ourselves in good condition on the inside, we must choose a healthy diet, and we need to exercise regularly. Likewise, to keep ourselves in good spiritual condition, we must choose a healthy diet of spiritual food and regularly exercise our faith in Jehovah. That form of exercise involves applying what we learn and speaking about our faith. (Rom. 10:8-10; Jas. 2:26) Second, based on outward appearance, we might think that we are healthy even though we are actually diseased on the inside. In a similar way, based on our theocratic routine, we may think that our faith is strong, but wrong desires could be growing in us. (1 Cor. 10:12; Jas. 1:14, 15) We must remember that Satan would like to infect us with his thinking. w19.01 15 ¶4-5

As the Memorial season passes, we do well to ask ourselves the following questions: ‘How can I imitate Jesus more closely in showing love? Do I think more about the needs of my fellow worshippers than about my own? Do I expect more from my brothers and sisters than they can give, or am I aware of their limitations?’ May we always imitate Jesus and show “fellow feeling.” The requirement to observe the Memorial of Christ’s death will not last much longer. When Jesus “comes” during the great tribulation, he will gather his remaining “chosen ones” to heaven, and the Memorial will cease to be commemorated. (1 Cor. 11:26; Matt. 24:31) Even after the Memorial meal is no longer observed, we can be sure that Jehovah’s people will fondly remember this simple meal as a symbol of the greatest humility, courage, and love ever shown by a human. w19.01 25 ¶17-19

Job kept his integrity by focusing on the hope that God would reward him. He believed that God did care about his integrity. Despite his trials, Job was confident that Jehovah would finally reward him. This confidence surely helped him cling to his integrity. Jehovah was so delighted with Job’s integrity that He rewarded him richly while he was still an imperfect man! (Job 42:12-17; Jas. 5:11) And even greater rewards lie ahead for Job. Our God has not changed. (Mal. 3:6) If we remember that he values our integrity, we can keep our hope for a bright future alive in our heart. (1 Thess. 5:8, 9) At times, you may feel lonely in such a course, but you will never be alone. You will be among millions of faithful integrity-keepers around the world. You will also join the ranks of men and women of faith who kept their integrity in the past, even under the threat of death.​—Heb. 11:36-38; 12:1. w19.02 7 ¶15-16

Jehovah wants married couples to develop a love so strong that it lasts for life. (Matt. 19:3-6) Adultery is one of the most unloving crimes a person can commit. With good reason, the seventh of the Ten Commandments prohibited adultery. (Deut. 5:18) It is a sin “against God” and a cruel blow to a marriage mate. (Gen. 39:7-9) A victim of adultery might feel the pain of betrayal for decades. Jehovah also cares deeply about the welfare of children. Jehovah commanded parents to provide not only for their children’s physical needs but also for their spiritual needs. Parents were to take every opportunity to help their children appreciate Jehovah’s Law and learn to love him. (Deut. 6:6-9; 7:13) Parents were to view their children, not as mere property that they could neglect or mistreat, but as an inheritance, a gift from Jehovah to be cherished.​—Ps. 127:3. w19.02 21 ¶5, 7