1, 2. Yibuphi ubunzima okumele abantu bakaJehova bamelane labo?

KUSUKELA ku-Abela kuze kube lamuhla abantu bakaJehova bebelokhu belwisa ngamandla wonke ukuthi bahlale bethembekile. Umphostoli uPhawuli wabhalela amaKhristu angamaHebheru ewakhumbuza ngokuqinisela kwawo “ebunzimeni obukhulu phakathi kokuhlupheka” ukuze amukelwe nguJehova njalo athole isibusiso sakhe. (Heb. 10:32-34) Wafanisa ukusebenza nzima kwamaKhristu lokuzinikela okwakusenziwa ngabadlali ababephatheka emincintiswaneni yamaGiriki eyayigoqela ukugijima, ukuzwana amandla kanye lokuphosa inqindi. (Heb. 12:1, 4) Lamuhla sisemncintiswaneni wokuphila futhi sidibana lezitha ezifuna ukusiphambanisa, ukusigwenxa, lokusibandezela phansi ukuze singathokozi njalo sicine sikhutha umvuzo esiwulindeleyo.

² Silwa impi enzima loSathane kanye labantu bomhlaba lo. (Efe. 6:12) Ngakho kuqakathekile ukuthi silwisane lezinto zomhlaba lo ezingasithandela lula nje. Izinto lezi zimfundiso zabantu, imibono yezinjulangqondo kanye lemikhuba engalunganga egoqela ukungaziphathi, ukubhema, ukudakwa lokusebenzisa kubi izidakwamizwa.  Okunye njalo okumele siqhubeke silwisana lakho yimikhuba engalunganga esingabe silayo kanye lezinto ezingasiqeda amandla.—2 Khor. 10:3-6; Kol. 3:5-9.

3. UNkulunkulu usiqeqetsha njani ukuthi senelise ukulwisana lezitha zethu?

³ Manje singenelisa yini ukuzinqoba izitha lezi ezilamandla kangaka? Ye singenelisa nxa singabopha ziqine. UPhawuli wafanisa lokho ayekwenza lesibonelo sabadlali basendulo ababephosa inqindi. Wathi: “Kangilwi njengomuntu onqinda umoya.” (1 Khor. 9:26) Umuntu osemdlalweni lo kumele aziphose sibili izibhakela ukuze anqobe isitha, lathi kumele silwe ukuze sizinqobe izitha zethu. UJehova uyasiqeqetsha njalo uyasisekela ukuze sinqobe empini le. Uyasiqondisa esebenzisa iLizwi lakhe. Uphinda asincedise esebenzisa imfundo ejulileyo esiyithola emabhukwini ethu, emihlanganweni yebandla, eyeziqinti leyezabelo. Ngakho kusebenzise konke lokhu ngoba nxa ungayekela kawusoze wenelise ukunqoba empini le, kuyabe kufanana lokuthi ‘unqinda umoya.’

4. Singenzani ukuze singanqotshwa ngokubi?

⁴ Kumele sihlale sivuse inkophe ngoba izitha zethu zingasihlasela silibele loba ngesikhathi sihlulukelwe ngenxa yezinkathazo. IBhayibhili lithi: “Linganqotshwa ngokubi, kodwa nqobani ububi ngobuhle.” (Rom. 12:21) Amazwi athi “linganqotshwa ngokubi” atshengisa ukuthi singenelisa sibili ukunqoba okubi. Kodwa okungasenza sinqobe yikuqhubeka silwisa ngamandla wonke. Phela kumele sikhumbule ukuthi silwa loSathane labantu bomhlaba lo kanye lesono esilaso. Yikho akumelanga sibeke izikhali phansi kumbe siyekethise ngoba kungaba lula ukuthi izitha lezi zisigenqule.—1 Phet. 5:9.

5. (a) Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi siqhubeke sibambe langamazinyo empini le esikuyo? (b) Yiziphi izibonelo eziseBhayibhilini esizaxoxa ngazo?

⁵ Lanxa impi le inzima kasikhalali ngoba sifuna ukuhlala silobuhlobo obuhle loJehova lokuthola izibusiso ezivela kuye. UHebheru 11:6 uthi: ‘Ngoba oza kuye [uNkulunkulu] kumele akholwe ukuthi ukhona lokuthi uyabanika umvuzo labo abamdinga ngobuqotho.’ Ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi ‘abamdinga ngobuqotho’ lilomqondo wokubopha ziqine kanye lokulwisa kanzima. (ImiSeb. 15:17) IBhayibhili lisitshela ngezibonelo zamadoda labesifazana abasebenza gadalala ukuze bathole izibusiso ezivela kuJehova. UJakhobe, uRakheli, uJosefa loPhawuli bahlangana lezimo ezazibangela ukuthi bangabuquthi ubuthongo futhi ezazibaqeda amandla. Lanxa kunjalo basebenza gadalala ukuze bathole izibusiso. Ake sixoxe ngabo sibone ukuthi singabalingisela njani.

6. Kuyini okwanceda uJakhobe ukuthi aphikelele futhi watholani ngokwenza njalo? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

⁶ UJakhobe waqhubeka esebenza nzima futhi ephikelela ngoba wayemthanda uJehova futhi ekuqakathekisa ukumkhonza. Wayekholwa lokuthi uJehova uzakufeza lokho ayemthembise khona. (Gen. 28:3, 4) Kwathi uJakhobe eseleminyaka engaba ngu-100 wabindana lengilosi ubusuku bonke ukuze athole isibusiso sikaNkulunkulu. (Bala uGenesisi 32:24-28.) Khumbula phela ukuthi wayengumuntu njengathi, wayengeke enelise ukumisana lengilosi ngoba izingilosi zilamandla amangalisayo. Lanxa kunjalo waphikelela, watshukana layo ingilosi ubusuku bonke yaze yambusisa. Mhlalokho waphiwa ibizo elitsha elithi Israyeli elitsho ukuthi, “Ukutshukana  loNkulunkulu” kumbe “Ukuphikelela.” Lakanye uJehova wamamukela uJakhobe futhi wambusisa, lathi yikho kanye esikufunayo.

7. (a) Yibuphi ubunzima uRakheli ayekubo? (b) URakheli waqhubeka njani elwisana lobunzima ayekubo njalo kwaphetha ngani?

⁷ URakheli owayeyintandokazi kaJakhobe wayekulindele ngabomvu ukubona ukuthi uJehova wayezakugcwalisa njani lokho ayekuthembise umkakhe. Kodwa kwakulokuthile okwakumncitsha ubuthongo. Wayeyinyumba futhi ngalezonsuku ukuba yinyumba kwakusenza owesifazana angabi lesithunzi emphakathini. Manje uRakheli wawathatha ngaphi amandla okubekezela lokulwisana lobunzima lobu obabuphezu kwamandla akhe? Okwamsizayo yikuthi kazange alahle ithemba futhi waqhubeka ethandaza kokuphela. UJehova wawuzwa umthandazo kaRakheli futhi wambusisa ngokumupha abantwana. Yikho kwelinye ilanga uRakheli waze wathi: “Kade kuyimpi . . . mina senginqobile.”—Gen. 30:8, 20-24.

8. Yibuphi ubunzima uJosefa ahlangana labo njalo thina sifundani kulokho akwenzayo?

⁸ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ukuzimisela kukaJakhobe loRakheli kwaba lusizo kakhulu kuJosefa indodana yabo. Kwamsiza ukuthi enelise ukumelana labo bonke ubunzima ayezahlangana labo empilweni yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo wathi eleminyaka engu-17 izinto zantshintsha engacabangeli. Abafowabo bamthengisela ebugqilini eGibhithe ngenxa yobukhwele futhi esekhonale wavalelwa ejele okweminyaka ethile kungelacala alenzileyo. (Gen. 37:23-28; 39:7-9, 20, 21) UJosefa kazange avume ukuthi lokhu kumqede amandla njalo kazange afune ukuphindisela ebantwini ababemphatha ngochuku. Kodwa waqhubeka ebeke inhliziyo lengqondo yakhe ekuqiniseni ubuhlobo bakhe loJehova. (Levi. 19:18; Rom. 12:17-21) Okwenziwa nguJosefa kuyisibonelo esihle esingasilingisela. Ngokwesibonelo kungenzakala ukuthi wakhuliswa ngendlela ebuhlungu kumbe izinto azikuhambeli kuhle khathesi. Nxa kunjalo qhubeka ulwisa njalo ungakhalali. Ungenza njalo uJehova uzakubusisa.—Bala uGenesisi 39:21-23.

9. Singamlingisela njani uJakhobe, uRakheli loJosefa ukuze lathi sithole isibusiso sikaJehova?

⁹ Kungenzakala ukuthi lawe uphakathi kwelitshe lembokodo ngenxa yezilingo ezitshiyeneyo ohlangana lazo. Kungaba yikuhlukuluzwa, ukuzondwa, ukukhangelelwa phansi loba ukugconwa ngabantu abalomhawu wena ungenzanga lutho. Kulokuthi ukhalale, hlala ukhumbula lokho okwenziwa nguJakhobe, uRakheli loJosefa ukuze baqhubeke bethokoza ekukhonzeni uJehova. UNkulunkulu wabaqinisa futhi wababusisa ngenxa yokuthi babeqakathekisa ubuhlobo babo laye. Baqhubeka besebenza gadalala njalo besenza izinto ezazihambelana lalokho ababekuthandazela. Kuqakathekile ukuthi lathi silibambe siligagadlele ithemba elibekwe phambi kwethu ngoba ukuphela komhlaba lo sekusondele. Uzimisele yini ukusebenza gadalala lokuqhubeka ulwisa ukuze uthole isibusiso sikaJehova?

10, 11. (a) Singenzani ukuze sithole isibusiso esivela kuNkulunkulu? (b) Kuyini okuzasinceda ukuthi senze izinto eziqondileyo njalo singavumi ukuphanjaniswa ekukhonzeni?

¹⁰ Kungani kumele sisebenze nzima ukuze sithole isibusiso sikaJehova? Ngoba silesono esibangela ukuthi silukhuthe ugatsha kwezinye izikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo abanye bethu balwisana lomkhuba othile ongalunganga ikanti abanye bayazama ukwenza okuthile ukuze bakuthande ukutshumayela. Mhlawumbe abanye babekezelela ukungaphili kuhle emzimbeni loba ukuba lesizungu. Kanti njalo abanye bayalwisa  ngezindlela zonke ukuthi bathethelele othile obaphambanisileyo kumbe obakhubileyo. Kungelani lokuthi sileminyaka emingaki sikhonza uJehova, sonke kumele siqhubeke silwisana lezinto ezingaphambanisa indlela esimkhonza ngayo uBaba wethu olothando.

¹¹ Kuliqiniso sibili ukuthi kungaba nzima ukwenza okuqondileyo kanye lokuphila ngendlela etshengisa ukuthi ungumKhristu. Okwenza kube nzima kakhulu yikuthi inhliziyo iyakhohlisa njalo iyasifuqa ukuthi senze izinto ezimbi. (Jer. 17:9) Nxa kuyikuthi lokhu yikho okwenzakala kuwe, khuleka kuJehova ucele umoya wakhe ongcwele. Ungenza njalo uzathola amandla okuqhubeka usebenza nzima ukuthi wenze okuqondileyo futhi uthole isibusiso sikaJehova. Phila ngendlela ehambelana lemithandazo yakho. Zama lokuthi ulibale nsuku zonke iBhayibhili, utaditshe uwedwa njalo ube loKukhonza Kwemuli maviki wonke.—Bala iHubo 119:32.

12, 13. Kuyini okwanceda abanye ukuthi banqobe izifiso ezimbi?

¹² ILizwi likaNkulunkulu, umoya wakhe ongcwele kanye lamabhuku ethu sekuncede amaKhristu amanengi ukuthi anqobe izifiso ezimbi. Omunye osakhulayo oleminyaka engu-17 wabala isihloko esithi “Ungamelana Kanjani Nezifiso Ezimbi?” esaphuma ku-Awake! yesiZulu ka-December 8, 2003. Samnceda yini? Uthi: “Ngisempini yokulwisana lemicabango emibi. Kodwa ngathi ngibala ukuthi banengi abafowethu labodadewethu abalwisana lemikhuba abangayithandiyo njengami,  ngakubona sibili ukuthi kangingedwa.” Okunye okwamsizayo yikubala isihloko esithi “Indlela Yokuphila Ehlukile—UNkulunkulu Uyayamukela? esaphuma ku-Awake! yesiZulu ka-October 8 2003. Wananzelela ukuthi isihloko lesi sathi kwabanye impi le kayipheli, isingathi ‘ngameva asemzimbeni’ wabo. (2 Khor. 12:7) Ubika ukuthi lanxa abantu laba besebenza gadalala ukuthi benze okulungileyo, balethemba elihle ngekusasa. Uqhubeka esithi: “Ngibona angani lami ngingenelisa ukuhlala ngithembekile, futhi ngiyambonga kakhulu uJehova ngokusebenzisa inhlanganiso yakhe ukuthi isincede senelise ukumelana lobunzima esihlangana labo nsuku zonke emhlabeni lo omubi.”

¹³ Omunye njalo udadewethu ohlala e-United States wabhala wathi: “Ngiyalibonga kakhulu ngokusinika imfundo elusizo futhi efika ngesikhathi esiyiso. Ngijayele ukukubona sibili ukuthi izihloko lezi ziyabe zibhalelwe mina. Sengileminyaka eminengi ngilwisana lomkhuba othile uJehova awuzondayo. Kwezinye izikhathi kuyakuthi ngikhalale ngitshiye kunjalo nje. Ngiyakwazi ukuthi uJehova ulomusa futhi uyathethelela, kodwa ngiyake ngicabange ukuthi ngeke angisize ngenxa yokuthi ngihlala ngilesifiso sokwenza okubi. Imicabango le iyangiphambanisa lakwezinye izinto nje empilweni. . . . Ngemva kokubala isihloko esithi “Ingabe Unenhliziyo Yokwazi UJehova” esaphuma ku-Nqabayokulinda yesiZulu ka-March 15 2013 ngakubona ukuthi uJehova uyafuna sibili ukunginceda.”

14. (a) UPhawuli wenzani ngobunzima ayephakathi kwabo? (b) Singenzani ukuze sinqobe imikhuba emibi esingabe silayo ebangelwa yisono?

¹⁴ Bala uRoma 7:21-25. UPhawuli wayekwazi mhlophe ukuthi kunzima kangakanani ukulwisana lezifiso ezimbi lemikhuba engalunganga ebangelwa yisono esilaso. Loba kunjalo wayekwazi lokuthi nxa angathembela kuJehova njalo abe lokholo emhlatshelweni kaJesu wenhlawulo uzanqoba empini le. Thina ke? Singenzani ukuze sinqobe imikhuba emibi esingabe silayo? Okungasinceda yikwenza njengoPhawuli, sithembele kuJehova hatshi emandleni ethu njalo sibe lokholo emhlatshelweni wenhlawulo.

15. Kungani singathi umthandazo ungasinceda ukuthi sihlale sithembekile njalo sibekezelele ubunzima?

¹⁵ Ukuthi simethemba kangakanani uJehova kwandise ukukhanya ikakhulu nxa sesiphakathi kobunzima obukhulu. Ngokwesibonelo nxa singahlaselwa ngumkhuhlane onzima, sigulelwe ngothile emulini loba sehlelwe ngobunye nje ubunzima, sizakwenzani? Okumele sikwenze yikuthembela kuJehova ngokuthandaza kokuphela sicele ukuthi asiphe amandla okuqhubeka silokholo oluqinileyo, sihlale sithokoza njalo singayekethisi ekukhonzeni. (Flp. 4:13) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu abanengi sebakubona ukuthi umthandazo uyamvuselela umuntu njalo umnike amandla okubekezela.

16, 17. Kuyini ozimisele ukukwenza ukuze uthole izibusiso?

¹⁶ UDeveli unxwanele ukukubona ukhalala uze uthwale imikhono ekhanda. Ngakho zimisele ‘ukubambelela kokulungileyo.’ (1 Thes. 5:21) Qiniseka ukuthi uzanqoba empini le esiyilwa loSathane labantu bomhlaba lo kanye lemikhuba engalunganga ebangelwa yisono. Okumele ukwenze yikuthembela kuNkulunkulu ukuze akunike amandla.—2 Khor. 4:7-9; Gal. 6:9.

¹⁷ Ngakho qhubeka usilwa, sebenza gadalala, phikelela ubambe langamazinyo. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ungenza njalo uJehova ‘uzathulula izibusiso ozaswela lokuthi uzazithela ngaphi.’—Mal. 3:10.