1, 2. (a) Kuyini esingakufunda ngokubekezela kukaGidiyoni lebutho lakhe? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) Amazwi akuLukha 21:19 atshengisa njani ukuthi ukubekezela kuqakathekile?

YAYIBAMBILE impi! Amabutho ako-Israyeli esilwa lamaMidiyani lezinye izizwe ezazimanyene lawo. Umahluleli uGidiyoni lebutho lakhe basebedinwe bengasazazi ngoba babexotshanise izitha lezi ubusuku bonke okwamakhilomitha angaba ngu-32. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi kwahamba njani ngemva kwalokhu, lithi: “UGidiyoni wafika eJodani wachapha, yena kanye labantu abangamakhulu amathathu ababelaye, sebediniwe belambile.” Kodwa babengakayinqobi impi le ngoba kwakusasele amabutho esitha angaba ngu-15 000. Ngenxa yokuthi abako-Israyeli basebehlale iminyaka eminengi becindezelwe ngamaMidiyani, bakubona ukuthi lesi kwakungayisiso sikhathi sokubeka izikhali phansi. Yikho baqhubeka ‘bexotshana lawo’ amabutho amaMidiyani baze bawabhuqa.—Abahlu. 7:22; 8:4, 10, 28, The Holy Bible in Ndebele.

² Lathi lamuhla siphakathi kwempi enzima esiyilwa nsuku zonke. Izitha esilwa lazo nguSathane, abantu bomhlaba lo kanye lemizimba yethu elesono. Abanye bethu sesileminyaka eminengi sitshudulana lezitha lezi, kodwa besilokhu sinqoba ngenxa yamandla esiwanikwa  nguJehova. Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi kungasidinisa ukulwa lezitha lezi kanye lokulindela ukuphela komhlaba lo. Eqinisweni ngeke sithi sesinqobile. UJesu wasixwayisa ukuthi ezinsukwini zokucina sizahlangana lobunzima lokuhlukuluzwa kodwa waphinda wathi kumele sibekezele ukuze sinqobe. (Bala uLukha 21:19.) Kutshoni ukubekezela? Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sibekezele? Izibonelo zalabo ababekezelayo zingasinceda njani ukuthi lathi sibekezele? Singenzani ukuze sivumele ‘ukubekezela kuqede umsebenzi wakho’?—Jak. 1:4.

3. Kutshoni ukubekezela?

³ IBhayibhili lithi ukubekezela kakutsho ukubhensela izilingo kuphela kodwa kutsho lendlela esenza ngayo nxa sihlangana lazo. Umuntu obekezelayo ukhanya ngokuba lesibindi, isineke kanye lokuzimisela. Elinye ibhuku lithi ukubekezela kusisiza ukuthi sibe lethemba eliqinileyo njalo singathwali imikhono ekhanda nxa sesisebunzimeni. Kusenza sime siqine lanxa sesiphakathi kwezinhlupho ezinzima kakhulu. Kanti njalo kusinceda lokuthi singagajelwa lusizi esiphakathi kwalo kodwa sikhangele umvuzo ophambili.

4. Kungani kumele sibe lothando ukuze sibekezele?

⁴ Kufanele sibe lothando ukuze sibekezele. (Bala u-1 Khorinte 13:4, 7.) Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kuyasifuqa ukuthi senze intando yakhe. (Luk. 22:41, 42) Ukuthanda abafowethu kwenza sibabekezelele nxa bephambanisa ngoba siyakwazi ukuthi balesono. (1 Phet. 4:8) Ukuthanda omkethu kusenza sibekezelele “izinhlupho” ezibakhona lasemulini ethokozayo njalo siqinise umtshado wethu.—1 Khor. 7:28.

5. Kungani kunguJehova kuphela ongasinika amandla okubekezela?

⁵ Cela uJehova akuqinise. UJehova ‘nguNkulunkulu onika ukubekezela lenkuthazo.’ (Rom. 15:5) Nguye yedwa obuzwisisa kuhle ubunzima esingabe siphakathi kwabo, imizwa yethu kanye lendlela esakhuliswa ngayo. Yikho uyakwazi mhlophe esikudingayo ukuze sibekezele. IBhayibhili lithi: “Uyagcwalisa izidingo zalabo abamesabayo; uyezwa ukukhala kwabo abasindise.” (Hubo. 145:19) Manje uNkulunkulu usiphendula njani nxa sithandaza kuye simcela ukuthi asinike amandla okubekezela?

6. Njengoba iBhayibhili lisithembisa, uJehova ukwenza njani ukuthi ‘asinike indlela yokuphunyuka’ nxa sisebunzimeni?

⁶ Bala u-1 Khorinte 10:13. Nxa sithandaza kuJehova simcela ukuthi asisize simelane lobunzima obusehlelayo, ‘uzasinika indlela yokuphunyuka.’ UJehova angantshintsha izinto yini ukuze asuse isilingo esikuso? Ye angakwenza. Kodwa izikhathi ezinengi akwenzayo yikusinika indlela yokuphunyuka ‘ukuze simelane’ lalobobunzima. UJehova uyasiqinisa ukuze “sibe lokubekezela kanye lesineke esikhulu, futhi njalo ngokuthokoza.” (Kol. 1:11) UJehova uyakwazi esingakwenza lesingeke senelise ukukwenza njalo kasoze avumele ukuthi siwele ezilingweni ezingasenza sehluleke ukuhlala sithembekile kuye.

7. Nika umzekeliso otshengisa ukuthi ukutaditsha kuyasinceda ukuthi sibekezele.

⁷ Qinisa ukholo lwakho ngokutaditsha. IMount Everest yintaba ende kulazo zonke emhlabeni, ngakho umuntu ofuna ukukhwela intaba le kumele agqibe isisu sigcwale okuzwayo. Lokhu kuzamnceda ukuthi abe lamandla okuyiqansa aze ayefika esiqongweni. Lathi kumele sitaditshe kakhulu ukuze sibekezele empilweni njalo sifike lapho esiyakhona. Kufanele sibe leqiniso lokuthi siba lesikhathi esinengi sokubala, esokutaditsha, lesokungena imihlangano. Nxa sisenza lezizinto siyabe sizondla ‘ngokudla okuhlalayo, okwempilo engapheliyo’ futhi ukholo lwethu luzaqina kakhulu.—Joh. 6:27.

8, 9. (a) UJobe 2:4, 5 utshengisa ukuthi yiphi indaba okumele siyikhumbule nxa siphakathi kobunzima? (b) Yiwaphi amaqembu amabili ayabe esikhangele nxa sisebunzimeni?

 ⁸ Khumbula indaba yobuqotho. Nxa siphakathi kobunzima siyabuzwa sibili ubuhlungu. Kodwa kulokunye okuqakathekileyo okumele sikukhumbule. Kuyabe sekumele sitshengise ukuthi siqotho yini kuJehova. Indlela esenza ngayo nxa sisebunzimeni yiyo etshengisayo ukuthi siyakuvuma sibili ukuthi uJehova unguMbusi wendawo yonke. USathane kafuni lakuzwa ngobukhosi bukaJehova uNkulunkulu. Kwelinye ilanga weyisa uJehova wathi: “Umuntu anganikela loba yini alayo ukusiza impilo yakhe. Kodwa yelula isandla sakho umtshaye inyama lamathambo akhe [uJobe], uzabona uzakuthuka ekukhangele.” (Jobe. 2:4, 5) Ngokutsho njalo uSathane wayesithi okwenza abantu bakhonze uJehova yikuthi bafuna ukuthola okuthile kuye, kayisikho ukuthi bayamthanda. USathane sewantshintsha yini? Hatshi. Ngemva kweminyaka eminengi waxotshwa ezulwini futhi wayelokhu ebizwa ngokuthi ‘ngummangaleli wabazalwane bethu, obamangalelayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu wethu emini lebusuku.’ (Isam. 12:10) Lakhathesi ulokhu esithi akulamuntu oqotho kuNkulunkulu. Akufunayo yikusibona sisehlulwa yizinhlupho besesiyekela ukusekela ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu.

⁹ Ngakho nxa usuphakathi kobunzima cabanga ngamaqembu la amabili akukhangeleyo. Kwelinye icele kuloSathane lamadimoni akhe bakukhangele ukuthi uzakwenzani, bathi kawusoze ubekezele uzakhalala kuphela. Kwelinye njalo icele kuloJehova leNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu, labagcotshiweyo asebevusiwe kanye lezingilosi ezinengi kakhulu. Bayakuqakezela bethokoza ngenxa yokuthi uyabe ubekezela nsuku zonke futhi ubusekela ubukhosi bukaJehova. Yikho-ke silalele isicelo esivela kuJehova esithi: “Hlakanipha ndodana, ulethe intokozo enhliziyweni yami; lapho ngizakwazi ukumphendula ongeyisayo.”—Zaga. 27:11.

10. Singamlingisela njani uJesu nxa sisebunzimeni?

¹⁰ Cabanga ngomvuzo ozawuthola nxa ungabekezela. Ake sithi uphakathi kohambo olude, ubusuthola ukuthi indlela ohamba ngayo iquma phakathi kwenkalakatha yobhalu. Lanxa kunjalo uyaqhubeka ngohambo uqume phakathi kobhalu lolu. Uthi usuphakathi laphakathi ubone sekumnyama awusaboni lutho. Kodwa uyakwazi ukuthi nxa ungaqhubeka uhamba uze uyefika lapho oluphelela khona uzaphinda ukubone ukukhanya. Lathi kwezinye izikhathi singakhulelwa yibunzima sibone sekumnyama emuva laphambili. Kumele ukuthi lokhu kwenzakala lakuJesu. ‘Wabekezelela ukuphikiswa ngabantu abayizoni’ kanye lokuphathwa kubi njalo wafa kabuhlungu esigodweni sokuhlutshwa. Ngaleso sikhathi kwakungani uJesu uphakathi kwenkalakatha yobhalu olumnyama okwesabekayo. Kodwa uJesu wakubekezelela konke lokhu ngenxa ‘yentokozo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe.’ (Heb. 12:2, 3) Wayekhangele umvuzo owawuphambi kwakhe ikakhulu lokhu ayezakwenza ukuze ibizo likaNkulunkulu lingcweliswe lokuthi atshengise ukuthi uJehova nguye yedwa olelungelo lokubusa. Ubunzima ahlangana labo babungobesikhathi esincane kodwa umvuzo ayezawuphiwa wawuzahlala kuze kube phakade. Lathi lamuhla singabe sisehlelwa yizilingo ezibuhlungu futhi ezisiqeda amandla. Kodwa kumele sikhumbule ukuthi ubunzima lobu ngobesikhathi esifitshane, buzaphela.

11. Kungani kumele sifunde ngezibonelo ‘zalabo ababekezelayo’?

¹¹ Izinhlupho ziyasehlela sonke. Yikho umphostoli uPhetro wakhuthaza amaKhristu ukuthi abekezelele bonke ubunzima obuvela kuSathane. Wabhala wathi: “Menqabeni, liqinile ekukholweni, ngokuba liyakwazi ukuthi  abazalwane benu emhlabeni wonke baphakathi kwazona lezo izinhlupheko.” (1 Phet. 5:9) Izibonelo ‘zalabo ababekezelayo’ zisifundisa ukuthi sime siqine futhi zisenza sibe lethemba lokuthi sizanqoba. Zisikhumbuza lokuthi nxa singahlala sithembekile sizawuthola umvuzo. (Jak. 5:11) Ake sihlole ezinye zakhona. ^[1]

12. Sifundani esibonelweni samakherubhi ayelinda isivande sase-Edeni?

¹² Amakherubhi. Ngemva kokona kuka-Adamu lo-Eva uJehova wanika amanye amakherubhi umsebenzi omutsha emhlabeni. IBhayibhili lithi uJehova “wamisa ngempumalanga kweSivande sase-Edeni amakherubhi kanye lenkemba ebhebhayo, iphazima isiyale lale ukulinda indlela eya esihlahleni sokuphila.” ^[2] (Gen. 3:24) Umsebenzi lo wawutshiyene lalowo izingilosi lezi ezaziwenza ezulwini. Lanxa kunjalo iBhayibhili kalisitsheli lutho ngokuthi izingilosi lezi zake zakhonona kumbe zazibona ziqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi zingawenza. Zaqhubeka ziwukhwabitha futhi kazizange zikhalale. Zalalela zahlala emsebenzi wazo njalo zabekezela waze waphela. Kungenzakala ukuthi umsebenzi lo waphela ngesikhathi sikaZamcolo ngemva kweminyaka edlula 1 600. Lokhu ezakwenzayo kungasinceda ukuthi lathi sibekezele nxa siphiwa umsebenzi onzima.

13. Kuyini okwanceda uJobe ukuthi abekezelele izilingo ezibuhlungu ezamehlelayo?

¹³ UJobe. Uzwa ubuhlungu yini ngenxa yamazwi ahlabayo owatshelwe ngumngane wakho loba isihlobo sakho? Uhlatshwe ngumkhuhlane obuhlungu yini kumbe uhlulukelwe ngenxa yokufelwa ngumuntu omthandayo? Nxa kunjalo indaba kaJobe ingakududuza kakhulu. (Jobe. 1:18, 19; 2:7, 9; 19:1-3) UJobe kazange alahle ithemba lanxa wayengakwazi ukuthi ngubani owayebangela ukuthi ahlupheke. Kuyini okwamnceda ukuthi abekezele? Yikuthi ‘wayemesaba uNkulunkulu.’ (Jobe. 1:1) Wayezimisele ukumthokozisa uJehova kumnyama kubomvu. Kanti njalo uJehova wamsiza uJobe ngokumtshela ngezinto ezimangalisayo ayezidalile ezaziveza ukuthi ulamandla. Lokhu kwenza uJobe waqiniseka ukuthi uJehova wayezaluqeda ngesikhathi esiyiso uhlupho ayekulo. (Jobe. 42:1, 2) Lakanye wakwenza lokhu! “UJehova wamenza waphumelela njalo wamupha okunengi okuphindwe kabili kwalokho ayelakho kuqala.” Ekucineni uJobe wafa “esemdala njalo eseluphele.”—Jobe. 42:10, 17.

14. Ngokutsho kuka-2 Khorinte 1:6, ukubekezela kukaPhawuli kwabanceda njani abanye?

¹⁴ Umphostoli uPhawuli. Uthwele qatha yini ngenxa yokuphikiswa kumbe ukuhlukuluzwa ngabantu abangayithandiyo inkolo yeqiniso?  Mhlawumbe ungumdala webandla loba umbonisi wesiqinti, kodwa usubona angathi imisebenzi oyiphiwayo iyakusinda. Nxa kunjalo cabangisisa ngesibonelo sikaPhawuli. UPhawuli wahlukuluzwa kabuhlungu njalo wayehlala ekhathazekile ngabazalwane emabandleni. (2 Khor. 11:23-29) Lanxa kunjalo, kazange akhalale futhi akwenzayo kwabakhuthaza abanye. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 1:6.) Khumbula ukuthi ukubekezela kwakho kungabakhuthaza abanye ukuthi labo babekezele.

15, 16. (a) Yiwuphi “umsebenzi” okufanele uqedwe yikubekezela? (b) Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi singakuvumela njani ‘ukubekezela kuqede umsebenzi wakho.’

¹⁵ UJakhobe waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale amazwi la: “Ukubekezela kufanele kuqede umsebenzi wakho.” Yiwuphi “umsebenzi” okufanele uqedwe yikubekezela? Ngumsebenzi wokusinceda ukuthi ‘sikhule njalo siphelele, singasileli ngalutho.’ (Jak. 1:4) Phela nxa sisehlelwa yizinhlupho yikho lapho esibona khona ukuthi kungaphi okumele silungisise khona ubuntu bethu. Nxa singazibekezelela izinhlupho lezo, ubuntu bethu buzaphelela singasileli lutho. Ngokwesibonelo ubunzima bungasifundisa ukuthi sibe lesineke, isihawu lokuthi sibe ngababongayo.

¹⁶ Ukubekezela kwenza umsebenzi oqakathekileyo wokusibumba ukuthi sibe ngamaKhristu angcono, ngakho akumelanga siceze izilingo esihlangana lazo ngokwephula izimiso eziseBhayibhilini. Ngokwesibonelo ake sithi uhlutshwa yimicabango emibi. Ungavumeli imicabango enjalo ikuwisele esonweni, kodwa khuleka kuNkulunkulu ukuze akusize ukuthi uyikhuphe engqondweni. Ukwenza njalo kuzakwenza ube ngumuntu ozithibayo. Ulesihlobo sakho esingakhonziyo yini esikuthwalise nzima ngenxa yokuthi unguFakazi? Nxa kunjalo zimisele ukuqhubeka ukhonza uJehova futhi lokhu kuzatshengisa ukuthi uyamethemba kakhulu. Hlala ukhumbula ukuthi nxa ungabekezela uyabe umthokozisa uNkulunkulu.—Rom. 5:3-5; Jak. 1:12.

17, 18. (a) Nika umzekeliso otshengisa ukuthi kuqakathekile ukubekezela kuze kube sekucineni. (b) Kuyini esiqiniseka ngakho njengoba ukuphela kusondela?

¹⁷ Kumele sibekezele kuze kube sekupheleni. Nanku umzekeliso ongasisiza ukuthi sikuzwisise lokhu: Ake sithi isikepe sesicwila emanzini. Ukuze bonke abasigadileyo basinde, kumele babhukutshe baze bayefika ekhunjini. Umuntu obhukutsha ibanganyana elincane adinwe abeseyekela, lalowo oyekela ukubhukutsha esezafika ekhunjini bayafanana ngoba bonke bazafela emanzini. Lathi kumele sizimisele ukubekezela size siyengena emhlabeni omutsha. Phela singayekela ukwenza njalo kasisoze sikuthole ukuphila okuphakade. Kumele sibe njengomphostoli uPhawuli owakhuluma amazwi la athi: “Kasiphelelwa lithemba.”—2 Khor. 4:1, 16.

¹⁸ Sileqiniso lokuthi uJehova uzasisiza ukuthi sibekezele kuze kube sekupheleni. Sivumelana lamazwi atshiwo nguPhawuli akuRoma 8:37-39 athi: “Singaphezu kokuba ngabanqobi ngaye owasithandayo. Ngoba ngiyakholwa ukuthi loba yikufa kumbe ukuphila, loba yizingilosi kumbe amadimoni, loba likhathesi kumbe isikhathi esizayo, loba kungamandla bani, loba kuyikuphakama kumbe ukutshona, loba olunye ulutho kukho konke okudaliweyo, akuyikusehlukanisa lothando lukaNkulunkulu olukuKhristu uJesu iNkosi yethu.” Kwezinye izikhathi singadinwa sibili. Kodwa kasizimiseleni ukubekezela kuze kube sekucineni ukuze amazwi akhulunywa kuGidiyoni lebutho lakhe asebenze lakithi. ‘Babelokhu bexotshana’ lesitha.—Abahlu. 8:4.