Dear fellow believer:

As you know, the Bible is largely a book about people. Many were faithful men and women who faced challenges similar to our own. They had “feelings like ours.” (James 5:17) Some were weighed down by troubles and anxiety. Others were deeply hurt by family members or fellow worshippers. And a number were plagued with guilt over their own mistakes.

Had such individuals left Jehovah completely? No. Many were like the psalmist who prayed: “I have strayed like a lost sheep. Search for your servant, for I have not forgotten your commandments.” (Psalm 119:176) Can you relate to those sentiments?

Jehovah never forgets his worshippers who stray from the fold. On the contrary, he reaches out to them—often doing so through their fellow believers. Consider, for example, how Jehovah helped his servant Job, who experienced a number of calamities—including financial setbacks, the loss of loved ones, and a severe health problem. Job also endured hurtful words from those who should have been there to support him. But he never turned his back on Jehovah, although he did go astray in his thinking for a time. (Job 1:22; 2:10) How did Jehovah assist Job to regain his balance?

One way that Jehovah helped Job was through a fellow believer named Elihu. When Job expressed his concerns, Elihu listened and was moved to speak. What would he say? Would he criticize Job or try to motivate him by using guilt or shame? Did Elihu view himself as superior to Job? Far from it! Moved by God’s spirit, Elihu said: “I am just like you before the true God; from the clay I too was shaped.” Then he reassured Job: “No fear of me should terrify you, and no pressure from me should overwhelm you.” (Job 33:6, 7) Rather than adding to Job’s burdens, Elihu lovingly offered the counsel and encouragement that Job needed.

Please know that it is in a similar spirit that we have prepared this brochure. First we listened, carefully considering the circumstances and expressions of a number who drifted away. (Proverbs 18:13) Then we turned to the Scriptures, prayerfully examining accounts of how Jehovah helped his servants in the past when they faced similar circumstances. Finally we combined those Scriptural accounts with modern-day experiences to produce this brochure. We warmly invite you to examine this material. Please be assured of our sincere love for you.

Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Ọtẹn nọ ghaan:

Zẹvbe nu rẹnrẹn, emwa ẹre Baibol mobọ wa guan kaan. Nibun vbe iran na, keghi re ikpia vbe ikhuo ni mwẹ ẹkoata, ni werrie aro daa avbe edanmwẹ ni khọ ọghe ima. “Ọmwa vbene ima ye” ẹre iran vbe gha khin. (Jems 5:17) Eso kegha re ne osi kevbe ọlọghọmwa wa siẹn yan ginna otọ. Eso vbe gha rrọọ ne etẹn vbuwe ẹgbẹẹ ra etẹn na gba ga, wa vbe ru ẹre emwi nọ balọ ọmwa se ugboloko. Nibun vbe gha rrọọ, ne ekhọe iran wa vbe gha fi iran uwẹnrhiẹn rhunmwuda emwi abakuru ne iran ru.

Egbe emwa vberriọ wa sẹ e Jehova rae fẹfẹfẹ ra? Ẹn o. Nibun keghi yevbe na ghe ọsihuan nọ na erhunmwu wẹẹ: ‘I bibi odẹ vbe na ghe ohuan nọ wiri. Gualọ ọguọmwadia ruẹ, rhunmwuda I ma he miamia avbe iyi ruẹ.’ (Psalm 119:176) Egbe iro vberriọ ẹre ọ vbe rre uwẹ ekhọe ra?

E Jehova i miamia eguọmwadia ọghẹe ni wii oghẹn hiehie. Nọghayayerriọ, ọ keghi ru iyobọ ne iran—vbene ọ na mobọ loo emwa ne iran gba rrọọ vbe iyayi. Vbe igiemwi, muẹn roro vbene Jehova ya ru iyobọ ne Job ne ọguọmwadia ọghẹe hẹ, vbe ẹghẹ ne orueghe ughughan ya dekun ẹnrẹn—usun orueghe na keghi re emwi ewe ọghẹe hia nọ wii ẹre, uwu ọghe ivbiẹre, kevbe emiamwẹ nọ wegbe nọ dekun ẹnrẹn. E Job vbe zin ẹmwẹ obalọ ne emwa nọ te khẹke nọ ru iyobọ ne irẹn, ghaa tama rẹn. Sokpan ọ ma fi iyeke gbe Jehova hiehie, agharhemiẹn wẹẹ ẹghẹ ghaa rrọọ nọ ya gha mwẹ iziro nọ ma gba. (Job 1:22; 2:10) De vbene Jehova ya ru iyobọ ne Job hẹ ya werriegbe gha mwẹ iziro nọ gbae?

Odẹ ọkpa ne Jehova ya ru iyobọ ne Job, ọre ne ọ na loo ọse ọre ọkpa nọ vbe ga Osanobua, na tiẹre Elihu. Vbe ẹghẹ ne Job ya gha ta emwi nọ kpokpo irẹn vbe orhiọn, Elihu keghi danmwehọ, ekhọe re na ghi guaekpa nọ guan. De ẹmwẹ nọ khian ghi ta nia? Te ọ khian ghi ya unu zaan e Job ra, ra te ọ khian ta ẹmwẹ nọ gha ye ekhọe Job gha fi ẹre uwẹnrhiẹn, ra nọ gha ye ekhue muẹn? Elihu ghe egbe irẹn zẹvbe ọmwa nọ maan sẹ e Job ra? Hiehie! Zẹvbe ne orhiọn nọhuanrẹn ọghe Osanobua ya guaekpa, Elihu keghi kha wẹẹ: “Ọkpa ẹre imẹ vbe ruẹ khin vbe odaro Osanobua, obuẹ ọre a ya ma, ima eveva.” Ọ ghi ta ọna nẹ, ọ na ghi rhie ilẹkẹtin ne Job wẹẹ: “Emwi ọkpa nọ gha ye ohan mwẹ gha muẹn i rrọọ, imẹ i ra dee yan ruẹn.” (Job 33:6, 7) Ne ọ gha te ya ta ẹmwẹ nọ gha ye ọlọghọmwa ọghe Job tua sayọ, Elihu keghi ye ahoẹmwọmwa rhie ibude kevbe igiọdu nọ rre ye ẹghẹ ne Job.

Lahọ, ma hoo nu rẹn wẹẹ egbe ekhọe ahoẹmwọmwa vberriọ ẹre ima vbe mwẹ, nọ ye ima gbẹn ebe ẹmu na. Vbe okaro ima keghi danmwehọ, ima na vbe muẹn roro ẹmwẹ ne emwa nibun ni wii oghẹn tae, kevbe vbene emwi ghaa ye iran hẹ. (Itan 18:13) Ẹre ima na vbe ya ghee uwe Evbagbẹn Nọhuanrẹn, ima na vbe na erhunmwu ma ke zanzan evbagbẹn yotọ nọ dekaan vbene Jehova ya ru iyobọ ne eguọmwadia ọghẹe hẹ vbe ẹghẹ nọ gberra, vbe iran ghaa rre uwẹ ọlọghọmwa vberriọ. Vbe okiekie, ima na ghi do kuẹ kugbe avbe okha ọghe Evbagbẹn Nọhuanrẹn nii, ya ba evbọ sunnu vbe ẹghẹ ne ima ye na. Ena hia ẹre ima ghi ya ru ebe ẹmu na. Ima ye oyaya gie na tie ruẹ nu do zanzan ebe na. Lahọ gha mwẹ ọnrẹn vbe ilẹkẹtin wẹẹ, ma ye ekhọe hia hoẹmwẹ ruẹ.

Ẹbu Nọ Su Ọghe Avbe Osẹe Jehova