Daily text, Sunday, November 19. 2017

[Queen Esther]

Why are you so angry and dejected? If you turn to doing good, will you not be restored to favor? . . . Will you get the mastery over [sin]?—Gen. 4:6, 7.

That was timely counsel coupled with positive direction. Jehovah thus warned Cain when it was apparent that Cain was on a very dangerous course. Sadly, Cain did not heed that warning, and he suffered for it. (Gen. 4:11-13) When Jeremiah’s secretary, Baruch, felt weary and despondent, Jehovah gave him counsel to help him see the reality of his problem. Unlike Cain, Baruch accepted Jehovah’s counsel, and this preserved his life. (Jer. 45:2-5) “Those whom Jehovah loves he disciplines, in fact, he scourges everyone whom he receives as a son,” wrote Paul. (Heb. 12:6) Discipline, however, is not limited to punishment. It takes various forms. There are many examples in the Bible of faithful servants undergoing extreme trials that may have involved discipline and that trained them. w15 9/15 4:12, 13

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/dt/r1/lp-e/2017/11/19