1, 2. (a) UmKhristu angezwa njani nxa impilo yakhe ingantshintsha engalindelanga? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.) (b) IHubo 131 lithi kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi singakhathazeki kakhulu?

ULLOYD lo-Alexandra basebeleminyaka edlula 25 beseBhetheli. Kodwa ngelinye ilanga bacelwa ukuthi basuke eBhetheli bayekuba ngamaphayona. Badana kakhulu bekuzwa lokhu. ULloyd uthi: “Ngasengiyijayele kakhulu impilo yeBhetheli futhi ngangiwuthanda umsebenzi engangiwenza. Ngangizwisisa sibili ukuthi kuyini okwenze kwaba lontshintsho kodwa ngemva kwamaviki lezinyanga ngasengihlala ngisizwa angathi ngilahliwe. Imizwa yami yayiphonguntshintsha nje, ngizwe sengidanile lanxa bengithabile.”

² Kuvele kunjalo empilweni, siyakhathazeka kakhulu futhi sihlulukelwe nxa izinto zingantshintsha singalindelanga. (Zaga. 12:25) Kwezinye izikhathi kuba nzima ukwamukela lolontshintsho. Pho singenzani ukuze ‘sipholise futhi sithulise’ umphefumulo wethu? (Bala iHubo 131:1-3.) Ake sixoxe ngezinceku zikaJehova zasendulo  lezalamuhla, sibone ukuthi zenzani ukuze zingakhathazeki kakhulu lapho izimo zintshintsha.

3. Impilo kaJosefa yantshintsha njani?

³ UJakhobe wayethanda uJosefa ukwedlula wonke amadodana akhe. Kodwa uJosefa wathi eseleminyaka engaba ngu-17 abafowabo bamthengisa ukuthi ayekuba yisigqili ngoba babelomhawu. (Gen. 37:2-4, 23-28) Okweminyaka engaba ngu-13 wathwala nzima eyisigqili futhi eyisibotshwa eGibhithe, ehlala khatshana loyise owayemthanda kakhulu. Kodwa kuyini okwanceda uJosefa ukuthi angalahli ithemba njalo angahlali ezondile?

4. (a) UJosefa wayehlala ecabanga ngani ngesikhathi esejele? (b) UJehova wayiphendula njani imithandazo kaJosefa?

⁴ Ngesikhathi uJosefa epika ejele, kumele ukuthi wayehlala ecabanga ngendlela uJehova ayembusisa ngayo. (Gen. 39:21; Hubo. 105:17-19) Kungenzakala ukuthi ukukhumbula amaphupho ayeke waba lawo esesemncane kwamenza waba leqiniso lokuthi uJehova kamlahlanga. (Gen. 37:5-11) Mhlawumbe wayehlala ethandaza kuJehova emthululela konke okwakumkhathaza. (Hubo. 145:18) UNkulunkulu wayiphendula imithandazo yakhe esuka enhliziyweni, wamqinisekisa ngokuthi “waye laye” kubo bonke ubunzima ayephakathi kwabo.—ImiSeb. 7:9, 10. *

5. “Ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” kusisiza ukuthi sizimisele ukwenzani?

⁵ Lanxa inhlupho esiphakathi kwazo zingakhanya zingangentaba, “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” kungalinda izingqondo zethu ukuze sihlaliseke. (Bala uFiliphi 4:6, 7.) Ngakho nxa sesikhulelwa yikukhathazeka kufanele simcele uJehova ukuthi asincedise ngoba ukuthula kwakhe kungenza sizimisele ukuqhubeka simkhonza njalo singalahli ithemba. Khathesi kasixoxeni ngabanye abafowethu labodadewethu abakubonileyo lokho empilweni zabo.

6, 7. Ukuthandaza kuJehova simtshela konke okusihluphayo kungasinceda njani ukuthi singakhathazeki kakhulu? Nika isibonelo.

⁶ URyan loJuliette babengamaphayona aqakathekileyo okwesikhathi esithile. Bathi becelwa ukuthi bake bame ukuba ngamaphayona aqakathekileyo, bezwa ubuhlungu kakhulu. URyan uthi: “Sahle sathandaza kuJehova. Phela sasikwazi ukuthi kwasekumele sitshengise ukuthi sithembele kuye ngoba abanengi ebandleni lethu babebatsha ekukhonzeni. Yikho sakhuleka kuJehova simcela ukuthi asisize ukuthi sibe lokholo oluqinileyo ukuze sibe yisibonelo esihle kwabanye.”

⁷ UJehova wawuphendula njani umthandazo wabo? URyan uthi: “Sathi siqeda nje ukuthandaza, ukukhathazeka esasilakho kwanyamalala futhi sezwa sesibethwa ngumoya. Ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu kwasekulinde izinhliziyo lezingqondo zethu. Sananzelela ukuthi nxa singakwamukela okwasekwenzakele, uJehova wayezaqhubeka esisebenzisa.”

8-10. (a) Umoya kaNkulunkulu ungasinceda njani ukuthi silwisane lokukhathazeka? (b) UJehova usisiza njani nxa siqhubeka simkhonza?

⁸ Okunye umoya kaNkulunkulu osinceda ngakho yikusikhumbuza imibhalo eqakathekileyo esisiza ukuthi siqhubeke sifaka uMbuso kuqala. (Bala uJohane 14:26, 27.) Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho okwehlela uPhilip loMary abasebeleminyaka engaba ngu-25 beseBhetheli. Phakathi kwenyanga ezine nje kuphela bobabili bafelwa ngonina futhi uPhilip waphinda wafelwa yisihlobo sakhe. Kanti njalo kwasekumele banakekele  uyise kaMary owayelomkhuhlane ohlasela ingqondo okuthiwa yi-dementia.

⁹ UPhilip uthi: “Ngangicabanga ukuthi ngiyabubekezelela ubunzima engangiphakathi kwabo. Kodwa ngathi ngibona uKholose 1:11 esihlokweni se-Nqabayokulinda efundwayo, ngananzelela ukuthi kukhona okwakusilela kimi. Kwakumele ‘ngibekezele ngesineke langentokozo.’ Umbhalo lo wangikhumbuza ukuthi ukuthokoza akuyi ngokuthi izimo zinjani kodwa kuya ngokuthi ngiyawuvumela yini umoya kaNkulunkulu ukuthi usebenze empilweni yami.”

¹⁰ UJehova wababusisa uPhilip loMary ngenxa yokuthi baqhubeka bemkhonza kungelani lobunzima ababephakathi kwabo. Bathi besanda kusuka eBhetheli bathola izifundo zeBhayibhili ezithuthukayo ezazifuna ukufunda kanengi ngeviki. UMary uthi: “Ukuba lezifundo lezo kwasithokozisa kakhulu, kwakungani uJehova usitshela ukuthi singakhathazeki, konke kuzalunga.”

11, 12. (a) UJosefa wenzani ukuze uJehova ambusise? (b) UJosefa wabusiswa njani ngenxa yokubekezela kwakhe?

¹¹ Nxa impilo ingantshintsha singalindelanga, kulula ukuthi sikhathazeke kakhulu size siswele lokuthi sibambe ngaphi. Lokhu kwakungenzakala lakuJosefa. Kodwa kazange avumele ukuthi uhlupho ayekulo lumqede amandla. Lanxa wayesejele, wayesebenza nzima kuyo yonke imisebenzi ayeyiphiwa ngumphathijele, njengalokho ayevele ekwenza ngesikhathi esebenzela uPhothifa. Lokhu kwenza uJehova wambusisa.—Gen. 39:21-23.

¹² Ngelinye ilanga uJosefa wanikwa umsebenzi wokukhangela amadoda amabili ayeke asebenza esigodlweni eyizikhulu zikaFaro. Amadoda la abona ukuthi uJosefa wayeyindoda elomusa, yikho akhululeka ukumtshela inhlupho zawo kanye lamaphupho awo ayimpicabadala. (Gen. 40:5-8) UJosefa kazange ananzelele ukuthi ngokuya kwesikhathi ingxoxo le yayizakwenza ukuthi akhululwe ejele. Lanxa waqhubeka esejele okweminyaka emibili, ekucineni wakhululwa njalo ngalelolanga wabekwa esikhundleni esiphezulu esilandela esikaFaro.—Gen. 41:1, 14-16, 39-41.

13. Nxa sisebunzimeni kumele senzeni ukuze uJehova asibusise?

¹³ Nxa lathi sisebunzimeni obuphezu kwamandla ethu, kumele sibekezele futhi senze konke esikwenelisayo ukuze uJehova asibusise. (Hubo. 37:5) Kuliqiniso sibili ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi ‘singadideka kodwa kasisoze silahle ithemba.’ (2 Khor. 4:8) UJehova uzaqhubeka elathi nxa singahlala sikhuthele emsebenzini wokutshumayela.

14-16. Kuyini okwanceda uFiliphu ukuthi ahlale ekhuthele ekutshumayeleni lanxa izimo zazintshintsha?

¹⁴ UFiliphu umvangeli ngomunye owaba yisibonelo esihle kakhulu sokuhlala ekhuthele  ekutshumayeleni kungelani lokuthi izimo zinjani. Ngokwesibonelo, wathi esakholisa umsebenzi wenkonzo omutsha ayewuphiwe izinto zantshintsha. (ImiSeb. 6:1-6) Abalandeli bakaKhristu baqalisa ukuhlukuluzwa eJerusalema futhi lokhu kwabangela ukuthi uStefane abulawe. * Kusenjalo abanye babaleka baya kwezinye izindawo. UFiliphu yena kazange aphonguhlala nje agoqe izandla kodwa waya eSamariya waqalisa ukutshumayeza abantu bedolobho lelo ababengakaze bezwe izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso.—Mat. 10:5; ImiSeb. 8:1, 5.

¹⁵ UFiliphu wayezimisele ukuya loba ngaphi lapho umoya kaNkulunkulu owawumqondisa khona. Ngakho uJehova wamsebenzisa ukuthi atshumayele ezindaweni ezilabantu ababengakaze bazwe izindaba ezinhle. Kanti njalo wayeyindoda eyayingelabandlululo. Lokhu kwenza amaSamariya ‘alalelisisa lokho ayekukhuluma’ ngoba ayesejayele ukukhangelelwa phansi ngamaJuda.—ImiSeb. 8:6-8.

¹⁶ UFiliphu wakhokhelwa ngumoya kaNkulunkulu ukuthi aye e-Azotha laseKhesariya. Emadolobheni la kwakulabantu abanengi abeZizweni. (ImiSeb. 8:39, 40) Ngemva kweminyaka engaba ngu-20 uFiliphu etshumayele eSamariya, impilo yakhe yayisintshintshile futhi. Khathesi wayesengubaba womuzi njalo wayesetshumayela endaweni ahlala kuyo. Lanxa izimo zakhe zazintshintsha, wahlala ekhuthele emsebenzini wokutshumayela njalo uJehova wambusisa kakhulu yena lemuli yakhe.—ImiSeb. 21:8, 9.

17, 18. Ukukhuthala emsebenzini wokutshumayela kungasinceda njani nxa kungaba lontshintsho empilweni yethu?

¹⁷ Abanengi abasenkonzweni yesikhathi sonke bayavuma ukuthi ukuhlala bekhuthele emsebenzini wokutshumayela kubanceda ukuthi bangakhathazeki kakhulu lapho izimo zintshintsha. Ngesikhathi omunye umfowethu weSouth Africa okuthiwa ngu-Osborne lomkakhe uPolite besuka eBhetheli babelethemba lokuthi bazayithola masinyane indawo yokuhlala kanye lomsebenzi wamalanga athile. Kodwa u-Osborne uthi: “Izinto kazizange zihambe ngendlela esasiyikhangelele.” Umkakhe uPolite yena uthi: “Sahlala izinyanga ezintathu singawutholanga umsebenzi futhi sasingelamali esasiyigcinile. Kwakunzima sibili.”

¹⁸ Manje kuyini okwabanceda ukuthi babekezelele ubunzima ababephakathi kwabo? U-Osborne uqhubeka esithi: “Ukutshumayela labanye ebandleni kwasinceda ukuthi singakhathazeki  kakhulu. Sabona kungcono ukuthi sisebenze gadalala ekutshumayeleni kulokuthi siphonguhlala nje sikhathazekile. Lokhu kwasenza sathokoza. Saqhubeka sidinga umsebenzi futhi sacina siwutholile.”

19-21. (a) Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi singakhathazeki kakhulu nxa singehlelwa luhlupho singalindelanga? (b) Kusiza ngani ukwamukela untshintsho olungenzakala empilweni yethu?

¹⁹ Izibonelo esixoxe ngazo zitshengisa ukuthi ukwenza konke okusemandleni ethu nxa siphakathi kohlupho kanye lokuthemba uJehova kuyasinceda ukuthi singakhathazeki kakhulu. (Bala uMikha 7:7.) Ngokuya kwesikhathi singananzelela ukuthi ukwamukela untshintsho olwenzakeleyo kuqinise ubuhlobo bethu loJehova. UPolite esike sakhuluma ngaye wakubona lokho kusenzakala kuye, uthi: “Ukusuka eBhetheli kungifundise ukuthi kutshoni sibili ukuthemba uJehova nxa impilo isinzima. Khathesi ubuhlobo bami loJehova sebuqine kakhulu.”

²⁰ UMary laye ulokhu ephayona lanxa enakekela uyise osegugile. Uthi: “Sengifunde ukuthi nxa ngikhathazekile kumele ngibeke amaphaphu phansi, ngithandaze njalo ngihlaliseke. Okunye engikufundileyo yikuthi kuqakathekile ukutshiya izinto ezandleni zikaJehova futhi ngiyakwazi ukuthi lokhu kuzanginceda lasesikhathini esizayo.”

²¹ ULloyd lo-Alexandra okukhulunywe ngabo ezigabeni zokuqala bayavuma ukuthi ukuntshintsha kwezimo bengalindelanga kwenze bananzelela lapho okumele balungisise khona ukuze babe lokholo oluqinileyo. Bathi: “Izimo ezinzima esiba phakathi kwazo zenza sibone ukuthi ukholo lwethu luqine kangakanani lokuthi luyenelisa yini ukusiqinisa nxa sekunzima. Khathesi sesingabantu abaqinileyo ekukhonzeni.”

22. Kuyini okufanele sihlale sikukhumbula nxa izimo zingantshintsha singalindelanga?

²² Esikhathini lesi esiphila kuso izimo zingantshintsha loba nini. Singacelwa ukuthi sitshiye umsebenzi ebesiwenza enhlanganisweni kumbe sihlaselwe ngumkhuhlane loba kwenzakale okuthile emulini. Kungelani lokuthi kwenzakalani empilweni yakho, hlala ukhumbula ukuthi uJehova uyakukhathalela futhi uzakusiza ngesikhathi esifaneleyo. (Heb. 4:16; 1 Phet. 5:6, 7) Ungavumi ukuthi uhlupho lukubuyisele emuva kodwa yenza konke okusemandleni akho ukuze uqhubekele phambili ngempilo. Thandaza kuBaba wethu osezulwini njalo umthembe ukuthi uzakuncedisa. Ungenza njalo, kawusoze ukhathazeke kakhulu lanxa izimo zintshintsha.