1-2. Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni lesi?

UZWA njani nxa into obuyilindele ingasafikanga ngesikhathi okade ukhangelele ukuthi ifike ngaso? Kumele ukuthi uyadana. Phela iZaga 13:12 zithi: “Ithemba eliphuziswayo ligulisa inhliziyo.” Kodwa nxa ungezwa ukuthi kulezizatho ezizwakalayo ezenze ukuthi lokho okulindeleyo kungasafiki ngesikhathi obusikhangelele kungaba lula ukuthi ubekezele njalo uzimisele ukulinda.

² Esihlokweni lesi sizaxoxa ngamanye amavesi angasinceda ukuthi ‘silindele uNkulunkulu.’ (Mik. 7:7) Ngemva kwalokho sizaxoxa ngokuthi kunini lapho okungadingeka khona ukuthi simlindele. Sizaphetha ngokuxoxa ngezibusiso ezizatholwa yilabo abazimisele ukumlindela.

3. Sifundani kuZaga 13:11?

³ IZaga 13:11 zisitshela ukuthi kungani kumele sibekezele. Ivesi le ithi: “Imali ezuzwe [“ngesiphangiphangi,” NWT] iyanyamalala, kodwa lowo oyizuza ngokuqogelela uyayandisa.” Sifundani evesini le? Umuntu ohlakaniphileyo kajahi, wenza izinto zakhe kuhlekuhle futhi uyabekezela. Lokhu kwenza aphumelele.

4. IZaga 4:18 zisifundisani?

⁴ IZaga 4:18 zisitshela ukuthi “indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa, kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.” Ivesi le icacisa ukuthi uJehova uncedisa abantu bakhe ukuthi bazwisise inhloso yakhe kancane kancane. Iphinda isincede sizwisise indlela umKhristu athuthuka ngayo. Kuthatha  isikhathi ukuthi umuntu athuthuke aze abe lobungane obuqinileyo loJehova. Nxa singakhuthalela ukutaditsha lokulandela lokho okutshiwo liLizwi likaNkulunkulu kanye lenhlanganiso yakhe, kancane kancane sizakuba lobuntu obunjengobukaKhristu. Kanti njalo sizamazi kuhle uNkulunkulu. Asixoxeni ngokuthi uJesu wakucacisa njani lokhu.

5. Yiwuphi umzekeliso owasetshenziswa nguJesu ukuze atshengise ukuthi umuntu uthuthuka kancane kancane?

⁵ UJesu wasebenzisa umzekeliso ukuze achasise ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso esizitshumayelayo zifanana njani lenhlanyelo ekhula kancane kancane enhliziyweni zalabo abafuna ukufunda ngoNkulunkulu. Wathi: “Inhlanyelo iyamila ikhule ibende; ukuthi lokhu kwenzakala njani yena [umuntu ohlanyelayo] kakwazi. Iyakhula yodwa emhlabathini kancane kancane, kuqala ikhaba, kulandele isikhwebu kucine ngengqoloyi evuthiweyo.” (Mak. 4:27, 28) Wayesitshoni uJesu? Wayesitsho ukuthi umuntu owamukela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso uthuthuka kancane kancane njengoba nje isilimo sikhula kancane kancane. Ngokwesibonelo, nxa abantu esifunda labo iBhayibhili beqhubeka besondela kuJehova siyaqalisa ukunanzelela utshintsho asebelwenzile empilweni. (Efe. 4:22-24) Kodwa kumele sikhumbule ukuthi nguJehova oyikhulisayo inhlanyelo le.—1 Khor. 3:7.

6-7. Sifundani endleleni uJehova adala ngayo umhlaba?

⁶ UJehova ulesineke kukho konke akwenzayo, kaqumeli nxa esenza umsebenzi wakhe. Wenza njalo ukuze ibizo lakhe lidunyiswe labanye bancedakale. Ngokwesibonelo, kasixoxeni ngendlela atshengisa ngayo ukuthi ulesineke ngesikhathi edala umhlaba.

⁷ IBhayibhili lithi ngesikhathi uJehova edala umhlaba wamisa ‘izilinganiso zawo lezinsika zawo kanye lelitshe lawo legumbi.’ (Jobe. 38:5, 6) Waphinda wazinika lesikhathi sokuhlola umsebenzi ayesewenzile. (Gen. 1:10, 12) Kumele ukuthi izingilosi zathokoza kakhulu ngesikhathi zibona indlela umsebenzi  kaJehova owawuphuma ngayo. Lokhu kwenza zaqalisa ‘ukumemeza ngentokozo.’ (Jobe. 38:7) Sifundani? Kwathatha izinkulungwane zeminyaka ukuthi uJehova adale umhlaba, izinkanyezi lazo zonke izinto eziphilayo njalo wathi esehlola konke ayekwenze ngesineke wathi “kwakukuhle kakhulu.”—Gen. 1:31.

8. Sizaxoxa ngani khathesi?

⁸ Esesixoxe ngakho kusitshengisa ukuthi kulamavesi amanengi eLizwini likaNkulunkulu asifundisa ukuthi sibekezele. Khathesi sizaxoxa ngokuthi kunini lapho okungadingeka khona ukuthi silindele uJehova.

9. Kunini lapho okungadingeka khona ukuthi silindele uJehova?

⁹ Kungadingeka silindele ukuthi uJehova aphendule imithandazo yethu. Kwesinye isikhathi nxa singakhuleka sicela ukuthi asinike amandla okuqinisela ebunzimeni esiyabe siphakathi kwabo kumbe simcela ukuthi asincedise sitshiye umkhuba awuzondayo, singabona angani uyaphuza ukuphendula imithandazo yethu. Kungani uJehova engahle ayiphendule eminye imithandazo yethu?

10. Kungani kumele sibekezele ngesikhathi silindele ukuthi uJehova aphendule imithandazo yethu?

¹⁰ UJehova uyayilalela imithandazo yethu. (Hubo. 65:2) Ubona imithandazo yethu esuka enhliziyweni iyibufakazi bokuthi silokholo. (Heb. 11:6) Nxa singathandaza sicela ukuthi asincedise senze lokho okumthokozisayo uyabe efuna ukubona ukuthi sizimisele yini ukwenza konke esingakwenza ukuthi senze intando yakhe. (1 Joh. 3:22) Yikho nxa singacela ukuthi asincedise sitshiye umkhuba awuzondayo, kungadingeka ukuthi sibekezele futhi senze konke esingakwenza ukuthi siwutshiye. UJesu wakhuluma amazwi aveza ukuthi eminye imithandazo yethu kayisoze ihle iphendulwe. Wathi: “Qhubekani licela, lizaphiwa; qhubekani lidinga, lizathola; qhubekani liqoqoda, lizavulelwa, ngoba wonke umuntu ocelayo uyaphiwa, lomuntu wonke odingayo uyathola, futhi wonke umuntu oqoqodayo uzavulelwa.” (Mat. 7:7, 8) Nxa singalalela okutshiwo ngamazwi la, ‘siphikelele ekuthandazeni,’ sizaqiniseka ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini uyayizwa imithandazo yethu njalo uzayiphendula.—Kol. 4:2.

11. UHebheru 4:16 usinceda njani nxa sibona angani uJehova uyaphuza ukuphendula imithandazo yethu?

¹¹ Lanxa kungakhanya angani imithandazo yethu iyaphuza ukuphendulwa, uJehova uthembisa ukuthi uzayiphendula “ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.” (Bala uHebheru 4:16.) Yikho akumelanga simsole nxa engasayiphendulanga ngesikhathi ebesisikhangelele. Ngokwesibonelo, abanengi bethu sesileminyaka sikhulekela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uqede umumo lo wezinto omubi. UJesu laye wathi kumele sikuthandazele lokho. (Mat. 6:10) Kodwa kungaba yibuthutha ukuvumela ukuthi ukholo lwethu luxege ngenxa nje yokuthi ukuphela akuzange kufike ngesikhathi ebesisikhangelele. (Hab. 2:3; Mat. 24:44) Okuzasinceda yikuqhubeka silindele uJehova futhi sithandaza kuye silokholo lokuthi uzasiphendula. Ukuphela kuzafika ngesikhathi esifaneleyo ngoba uJehova uselibekile ‘ilanga lehola’ okuzafika ngalo, njalo ilanga lelo lizakuba yisikhathi esifaneleyo kubo bonke.—Mat. 24:36; 2 Phet. 3:15.

12. Kunini lapho okungaba nzima khona kakhulu ukuthi sibekezele?

¹² Kungadingeka ukuthi sibekezele futhi siqinisele nxa siphathwa kubi. Abantu bajayele ukuphathwa kubi ngenxa yokuthi bangabesilisa  kumbe abesifazana, ngenxa yomhlobo wabo, ulimi abalukhulumayo, loba ilizwe abavela kulo. Abanye baphathwa kubi ngenxa yokuthi bagogekile kumbe abaphilanga kuhle engqondweni. Abantu bakaJehova abanengi baphathwa kubi ngenxa yalokho abakukholwayo. Nxa siphathwa kubi kumele sikhumbule lokho uJesu akutshoyo. Wathi: “Lowo oqinisela kuze kube sekucineni nguye ozasindiswa.” (Mat. 24:13) Kodwa kumele wenzeni nxa ungezwa ukuthi umfowethu loba udadewethu ebandleni wenze isono esikhulu? Nxa abadala sebetsheliwe ngendaba yakhona, uzayitshiya ezandleni zabo yini ulinde ngesineke ukuthi bayilungise ngendlela kaJehova? Kuyini abadala abangakwenza nxa omunye ebandleni enze isono esikhulu?

13. UJehova ufuna abadala benzeni nxa omunye enze isono esikhulu?

¹³ Nxa abadala bangezwa ukuthi omunye ebandleni wenze isono esikhulu, bayathandaza becela “ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu” ukuze baphathe indaba ngendlela kaJehova. (Jak. 3:17) Inhloso yabo ngeyokuthi bancedise lowo owonileyo ukuthi ‘abuyele endleleni eyiyo.’ (Jak. 5:19, 20) Kanti njalo bafuna ukwenza konke abangakwenza ukuthi bavikele ibandla lokuthi baduduze labo abazwiswe ubuhlungu. (2 Khor. 1:3, 4) Nxa abadala bangezwa ukuthi omunye ebandleni wenze isono esikhulu, kumele baqale badingisise ukuthi kuhambe njani futhi lokhu kungathatha isikhathi. Ngemva kwalokho bayathandaza laye futhi bamncedise besebenzisa iMibhalo njalo bamqondise “ngokufaneleyo.” (Jer. 30:11) Lanxa abadala bengathathi isikhathi eside kakhulu ukuthi balungise indaba eyabe isivukile, kabajahi ukwenza isinqumo. Nxa bangalandela lokho abakutshelwa nguJehova, ibandla lonke liyancedakala. Lanxa beyiphathe ngendlela eqondileyo indaba, owonelweyo angasala elokhu esizwa ubuhlungu. Nxa lokhu kungenzakala kuwe, ungenzani ukuze ubuhlungu lobo bube nganeno?

14. Yisiphi isibonelo esiseBhayibhilini esingakududuza nxa uzwiswe ubuhlungu obukhulu ngomunye umKhristu?

¹⁴ Sowake wazwiswa ubuhlungu obukhulu yini ngomunye umuntu kumbe ngumfowethu loba udadewethu? Uzathola izibonelo eBhayibhilini ezisifundisa ukuthi singalindela njani ukuthi uJehova alungise izinto. Ngokwesibonelo, lanxa uJosefa waphathwa  kubi ngabafowabo, kazange ababambele isikhwili. Kodwa waqhubeka ekhonza uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke futhi uJehova wambusisa ngenxa yokuthi wabekezela njalo waqinisela. (Gen. 39:21) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uJosefa wabaxolela abafowabo ababemzwise ubuhlungu futhi wabona indlela uJehova ambusisa ngayo. (Gen. 45:5) Lathi njengoJosefa sizaduduzeka nxa singasondela kuJehova njalo silindele ukuthi alungise izinto ngesikhathi sakhe esifaneleyo.—Hubo. 7:17; 73:28.

15. Kuyini okwanceda omunye udadewethu ukuthi abekezele ngesikhathi ephathwa kubi njalo asale ehlalisekile?

¹⁵ Lanxa singeke sehlelwe yibunzima obunjengalobo obehlela uJosefa, sizwa ubuhlungu nxa singaphathwa kubi. Nxa singazwiswa ubuhlungu ngumuntu othile, kungelani lokuthi unguFakazi loba hatshi, kuzasinceda ukusebenzisa lokho okutshiwo liBhayibhili. (Flp. 2:3, 4) Ake sixoxe ngokwenzakala komunye udadewethu. Wezwa ubuhlungu obukhulu ngesikhathi esizwa ukuthi omunye ayesebenza laye wayekhuluma kubi ngaye futhi ekhuluma izinto ezingamanga. Udadewethu kazange avuke ngolaka kodwa wacabangisisa ngokwenziwa nguJesu. UJesu wathi ethethiswa kazange aphindisele ngokuthethisa. (1 Phet. 2:21, 23) Lokhu kwenza udadewethu wakhetha ukuyekela indaba idlule. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wezwa ukuthi lowo ayesebenza laye wayelomkhuhlane omubi lokuthi wayekhathazeke kakhulu. Udadewethu wacina ezitshela ukuthi kungenzakala okwakusenza lowo ayesebenza laye akhulume kubi ngaye yibunzima ayephakathi kwabo. Yikho wathokoza ngokuthi wabekezela ngesikhathi ephathwa kubi futhi wasala ehlalisekile.

16. Kuyini okungakududuza nxa uthwele nzima ngenxa yokuphathwa kubi? (U-1 Phetro 3:12)

¹⁶ Nxa uthwele nzima ngenxa yokuphathwa kubi kumbe kulokunye okukuzwisa ubuhlungu, khumbula ukuthi uJehova useduze lalabo “abalezinhliziyo ezephukileyo.” (Hubo. 34:18) Uyathokoza nxa ubekezela futhi umtshela konke okukuhluphayo. (Hubo. 55:22) UnguMahluleli womhlaba wonke. Uyakubona konke okwenzakalayo. (Bala u-1 Phetro 3:12.) Uzimisele yini ukulindela uJehova nxa uphakathi kwenhlupho ezingaphezu kwamandla akho?

17. UJehova usithembisani ku-Isaya 30:18?

¹⁷ Sekuseduze ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini asinike izibusiso esebenzisa uMbuso wakhe. U-Isaya 30:18 uthi: “UJehova ulangatha ukuba lomusa kini; uyavuka ukuba alitshengise isihawu. Ngoba uJehova unguNkulunkulu wokulunga. Babusisiwe bonke abamlindeleyo!” Labo abaqhubeka belindele uJehova bazathola izibusiso ezinengi khathesi lasemhlabeni omutsha.

18. Yiziphi izibusiso esizazithola?

¹⁸ Ngesikhathi abantu bakaNkulunkulu sebesemhlabeni omutsha, abasoze baphinde bahlutshwe yizinto ezibathwalise nzima khathesi. Akulamuntu ozabaphatha kubi njalo ubuhlungu buyabe bungasekho. (Isam. 21:4) Asisoze sikhathazeke ngokuthi sizazithola yini izinto esizidingayo ngenxa yokuthi ziyabe seziyithaphutshiye. (Hubo. 72:16; Isaya. 54:13) Kuzabe sekumnandi sibili!

19. UJehova usenza silungeleni?

¹⁹ UJehova usenza sikulungele ukuphila ngaphansi koMbuso wakhe ngokusincedisa ukuthi sitshiye imikhuba emibi esingabe silayo futhi sibe lobuntu obumthokozisayo. Ungalahli ithemba njalo qhubeka ukhonza uJehova ngoba impilo iyabe isimnandi esikhathini esizayo. Yikho kasiqhubekeni sithokoza futhi sibekezela ngesikhathi silindele ukuthi uJehova aqede umsebenzi wakhe.