Living as Christians for the week of January 25-31, 2027

Trust in Jehovah when facing health problems

What is one reason why the elders are concerned about our well-being?

Acts 20:28 — Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own Son.

Comment 1: The elders have the responsibility to shepherd the congregation. So when we are sick, they are concerned about our well-being. Caring for us at such times is part of the work entrusted to them.

Comment 2: Something that stands out to me about Acts 20:28 is how much God values the congregation: He was willing to give his own Son for it. The elders keep that value in mind. They do not view a sick brother simply as someone who needs a visit, but as someone who is very precious to Jehovah.

Comment 3: Their concern reflects Jehovah’s affection. The video explains that visits help sick ones understand that he is aware of their situation. The elders want the brother to feel that care, especially when illness makes him feel sad or lonely.

Comment 4: Illness affects more than the body; it can also leave us very discouraged. That is why the elders are concerned about how we are doing inside. The brothers in the Patient Visitation Group explain that they offer practical help but, above all, spiritual support. They want to help us keep our strength so that we can continue trusting in Jehovah.

Comment 5: They do not need to know us personally in order to be concerned about us. Ruth said that they visited her less than 24 hours after she was hospitalized, even though they did not know her. This shows that their affection does not depend on a previous friendship: they view her as part of the congregation they want to care for.

Comment 6: The elders know that sometimes what we need most is for someone to listen to us. In the video, they say that they first let the sick person express himself and then strengthen him with the Bible. That order shows personal concern: they want to understand what he is experiencing, not merely say a few words to him.

Comment 7: I find it beautiful that they view hospital visits as a form of shepherding. Even though a brother may be far from his congregation, he still needs companionship, encouragement, and spiritual care.

Comment 8: They also want us to feel the congregation’s support. The video highlights how comforting it can be to see a familiar face when we are hospitalized. That is why it is so valuable for local elders to support the visits. Their presence reminds us that we still have our brothers’ support even when we cannot be with them as usual.

Comment 9: The elders’ concern also extends to those accompanying the sick person. One sister in the video wanted to encourage her uncle, but she herself needed comfort. The brothers encouraged both of them. Their help shows sensitivity toward the suffering that the whole family may be experiencing.

Comment 10: They do not merely feel concern. The elders on Hospital Liaison Committees are trained to offer concrete help, such as providing a doctor with information about alternatives to blood transfusions. This effort shows that they want to support us in a useful way when we face health problems.

Comment 11: Their affection can be seen in the time they devote to sick ones. Someone in the video observed that those brothers could have been resting or enjoying themselves, but they had chosen to be there. Their willingness to devote time and energy makes the elders’ concern feel very real.

Comment 12: They want to help us feel close to Jehovah. In the video, one sister was so emotional that she could not read the passage she had been directed to, so the brothers read it to her. They adapted the help to what she was able to do at that moment. Such considerate treatment is a very tender form of shepherding.

Comment 13: The brothers in the Patient Visitation Group say that they are happy that Jehovah uses them. They do not view their visits as a burden. They are glad to help sick ones sense Jehovah’s affection, and that willing spirit adds warmth to the support they provide.

When facing health problems, what can we do to receive help from the elders?

Comment 1: We can take the first step and tell them what is happening to us. If we explain our situation and what concerns us, it will be easier for them to know how to support us and what help we need.

Comment 2: When we are hospitalized, it is wise to let the elders in our congregation know. The video highlights that a familiar face can bring us much comfort. Keeping them informed allows them to keep an eye on us and support the visits we receive, rather than having to face those moments feeling isolated.

Isaiah 32:1-2 — Look! A king will reign for righteousness, And princes will rule for justice. And each one will be like a hiding place from the wind, A place of concealment from the rainstorm, Like streams of water in a waterless land, Like the shadow of a massive crag in a parched land.

Comment 3: This description encourages us to allow the elders to help us. When we are sick and feel vulnerable, we do not have to try to endure everything alone. Accepting their companionship and encouragement can bring us much relief.

Comment 4: If we need to find a doctor who is willing to cooperate with Jehovah’s Witnesses, we can ask for help in contacting the Hospital Liaison Committee. The Workbook explains that these elders are trained to help us. Knowing that this resource exists allows us to seek concrete support in a situation that may feel overwhelming.

Comment 5: We can explain if the doctor needs information about alternatives to blood transfusions. The Hospital Liaison Committee can provide him with that information. In this way, we make use of help that has been prepared for such circumstances, rather than thinking that we have to solve all the difficulties on our own.

Comment 6: If the medical situation is complicated, we can ask what help the Hospital Liaison Committee can offer. According to the Workbook, when necessary they can put the doctor in contact with another doctor who has more experience with similar cases. Communicating our difficulties allows the brothers to become aware of the need.

Comment 7: An important thing is to allow ourselves to be heard. The brothers in the video explain that they first want to know how the sick person feels. We do not need to pretend that we are fine if inside we are frightened or discouraged.

Comment 8: We can speak honestly about our emotional needs, not just about the diagnosis. The sister who cared for her uncle acknowledged that she too needed encouragement. If we are accompanying a sick family member, expressing how we feel may allow the elders to support us as well.

Comment 9: It is worth accepting visits even if we do not yet know the brothers. Ruth received much encouragement from elders who did not personally know her. Her experience reminds us that Jehovah can comfort us through brothers with whom we do not yet have a friendship but who sincerely care about us.

Comment 10: Let us make room to receive encouragement from the Bible. At times, concern about our health takes up all our attention, but the brothers in the video explain that their main help is spiritual. Listening to a passage and discussing it with the elders can strengthen us in the midst of that concern.

Comment 11: If we are too weak or emotional to read, we can let them read for us. That happened to a sister in the video, and she received much comfort. We do not need to be in a condition to maintain a long conversation in order to benefit from the elders’ affection and spiritual support.

Comment 12: We can also mention any practical difficulties we may have. In the video, one family was even provided with a place to stay. This does not mean that the same help can always be offered, but it does encourage us to explain our need and let the brothers see how they can support us.

Comment 13: If the situation changes, we can inform the elders. Perhaps at first we need guidance and later more comfort or companionship. Maintaining that communication helps them understand what we are experiencing and offer support that responds to our actual needs.

How does the help provided by the Patient Visitation Group show that Jehovah truly cares about us? (Ps. 41:3)

Psalms 41:3 — Jehovah will sustain him on his sickbed; During his sickness you will completely change his bed.

Comment 1: The support of the Patient Visitation Group helps us feel the care described in this psalm. During illness, Jehovah can give us encouragement and strength through brothers who listen to us and accompany us.

Comment 2: Ruth’s experience seems very significant to me. They visited her within 24 hours, even though they did not know her. Such prompt attention showed her that she was not alone. Jehovah’s affection reached her through brothers who were willing to take an interest in her situation from the very beginning.

Comment 3: Jehovah is interested in how we feel, and the visits reflect that. The elders explain that they first listen and let the sick person express himself. They do not treat everyone as if they needed exactly the same thing. They take time to understand the person and then strengthen him with the Bible.

Comment 4: One family arrived at the hospital at about two in the morning because the mother had gotten worse, and a brother from the Patient Visitation Group was already waiting for them. How comforting it must have been to find him there. That concrete effort enabled them to feel that they had support at an especially distressing moment.

Comment 5: The affection was also expressed through practical help. That family was given a place to stay. When one is worried about a loved one, receiving support for such a need can lighten part of the burden and make him feel the brothers’ love in a very concrete way.

Comment 6: The sister who wanted to encourage her uncle felt that she herself had no strength left. The visit encouraged both of them, and she described it as exactly what they needed. That experience shows that Jehovah’s care can reach both the sick person and those who are suffering alongside him.

Comment 7: They offer more than companionship. They use the Bible to strengthen the sick person and help him remember that he has the support of Jehovah, the congregation, and the holy spirit.

Comment 8: I am moved by the consideration they showed the sister who could not read because she was crying. The brothers read the passage to her, and she deeply felt Jehovah’s comfort. The help was simple, but it responded to what she needed at that moment: to receive encouragement without having to struggle to hold back her tears.

Comment 9: Seeing a familiar face can comfort us greatly, as the video emphasizes. Therefore, when local elders support such visits, the sick person feels closer to his congregation. This cooperation makes Jehovah’s affection visible: different brothers join their efforts so that the person feels accompanied.

Comment 10: Someone observed the brothers and their wives as they left the hospital and noticed how happy they were. They had devoted time that they could have used to rest. Such generosity helps the sick person perceive that the concern is sincere and that his well-being truly matters.

Comment 11: One sister said that she received those visits when she felt especially lonely and sad. Later, she recognized Jehovah’s affection in what the brothers had done for her. Her experience shows that even in a hospital and under painful circumstances, we can receive very personal evidence of his care.

Comment 12: The love that one of the people in the video received awakened in her the desire to do the same for others. I find that beautiful: she not only found comfort but also wanted to share it. The help from the Patient Visitation Group made brotherly love very real in her life.

Comment 13: The brothers explain that many sick ones recognize such visits as evidence of Jehovah’s care and of his organization. That is the most beautiful result: in addition to being grateful to those who visit them, they feel closer to Jehovah and more certain that he knows their situation.

More posts for this week

Week of January 25–31, 2027

Gems Spiritual Gems for the Week of January 25-31, 2027 View post →

Book Study Congregation Bible Study for the Week of January 25-31, 2027 View post →

The Watchtower Watchtower Study for the Week of January 25-31, 2027 View post →