1, 2. Uyakuthanda yini ukwenza izinqumo, njalo uzizwa njani ngezinye izinqumo owazenzayo?

 IZINQUMO! Izinqumo bakithi! Nsukuzonke kulezinengi okumele sizenze. Uzizwa njani ngezinqumo ezijayelekileyo okumele uzenze? Abanye abantu bayakukholisa ukuthi bazenzele zonke izinqumo zabo. Banamathela kwelokuthi yibo abalelungelo lokuzenzela izinqumo, abafuni lakuzwa ukuthi kulomuntu obatshela okokwenza. Lanxa kunjalo, bakhona ababanjwa ngumhedehede nxa kumele benze izinqumo eziqakathekileyo ezingayisizo zansuku zonke empilweni. Abanye bahlola amabhuku kumbe baye kubeluleki njalo babhadale amaqubaquba ezimali ukuze bathole izixwayiso abazifunayo.

² Abanengi bethu siphakathi laphakathi. Siyakunanzelela ukuthi ezinye izinto zingaphezu kwamandla ethu, njalo akulalutho esingalwenza ngalokho, kodwa-ke siyavuma ukuthi kokunengi ekuphileni sikhululekile ukwenza izinqumo esizifunayo. (Gal. 6:5) Loba kunjalo, siyakwamukela ukuthi akusizo zonke izinqumo esizenzayo ezilusizo njalo ezenziwa ngokuhlakanipha.

3. Yiziphi iziqondiso esilazo mayelana lokwenza izinqumo, kodwa yibuphi ubunzima obukhona?

³ Thina izinceku zikaJehova siyathokoza ngoba uJehova usinike iziqondiso ezicacileyo mayelana lezinto eziqakathekileyo ekuphileni kwethu. Siyakwazi ukuthi singalandela iziqondiso lezi singenza izinqumo ezizathokozisa uJehova njalo ezizasinceda. Lanxa kunjalo, silakho ukuhlangana lezimo kanye lezindaba okungakhulunywa ngazo ngokucacileyo eLizwini likaNkulunkulu. Yikho-ke singenzani ezindabeni ezinjalo? Ngokwesibonelo siyakwazi ukuthi akumelanga sintshontshe. (Efe. 4:28) Kodwa vele okubizwa kuthiwa yikuntshontsha yikwenzani? Kuya ngokudula kolutho oluthethweyo yini, isizatho sokuthathwa kwalo kumbe okunye nje? Singasenza njani isinqumo ezindabeni abanye abathi azilamthetho ocacileyo? Kuyini okungasiqondisa?

4. Yisiphi isixwayiso okungenzeka sake sasithola ngesikhathi sifuna ukwenza isinqumo?

⁴ Uma ungakhuluma ngokuthi kulesinqumo esiqakathekileyo ofuna ukusenza, omunye umKhristu angathi yena kumele usebenzise ukucabanga ngokuqonda. Lesi yisixwayiso esihle sibili. IBhayibhili liyasixwayisa mayelana lokuphonguwela nje ekwenzeni okuthile. Lithi: ‘Amawala aletha ubuyanga.’ (Zaga. 21:5) Kodwa kutshoni ukucabanga ngokuqonda? Kungabe kusitsho yini ukuthi kumele sithathe isikhathi sethu, sicabangisise ngendaba, sisebenzise ingqondo, njalo sisebenzise ukwahlulela okuhle? Izinto zonke lezi zingasinceda ukuthi senze isinqumo esihle, kodwa kulokunengi okukhona ngaphandle kokusebenzisa ukucabanga ngokuqonda.​—Roma. 12:3; 1 Pet. 4:7.

5. Kungani ngokwemvelo singelakho ukucabanga ngokuqonda okupheleleyo?

⁵ Sonke kumele sivume ukuthi asizalwanga silakho ukucabanga ngokuqonda okupheleleyo. Kungani kunjalo? Imizimba yethu ayiphelelanga njalo asenelisi ukucabanga ngokuqonda okupheleleyo ngenxa yokuthi sizalwa silesono njalo siyasilela. (Hubo. 51:5; Roma. 3:23) Ukwengezelela kulokhu, izingqondo zabanengi phakathi kwethu ‘zazinqundwe’ nguSathane. Sasingakwazi lutho ngoJehova kanye lezimiso zakhe ezilungileyo. (2 Kor. 4:4; Tit. 3:3) Yikho-ke, nxa izinqumo zethu zingasekelwa kuphela kulokho thina esikubona kukuhle njalo kulengqondo, kungenzeka ukuthi siziqile lanxa kuyikuthi sithethe isikhathi eside sicabangisisa ngesinqumo leso.​—Zaga. 14:12.

6. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi sisebenzise ukucabanga ngokuqonda?

⁶ Lanxa singelakho ukuphelela emizimbeni lasezingqondweni, uBaba wethu osezulwini uJehova uphelele kukho konke akwenzayo. (Dute. 32:4) Kuyasithokozisa ukuthi wenze ukuthi senelise ukwenza ingqondo yethu ibentsha njalo sicabange ngokuqonda. IBhayibhili lithi: “Ngoba uNkulunkulu kasinikanga umoya wobugwala, kodwa wasinika owamandla, lowothando lowokucabanga ngokuqonda.” (2 Tim. 1:7, NW) NjengamaKhristu sifuna ukucabanga njalo siphume lezizatho ezilengqondo futhi senze okuvumelana lesikutholileyo. Kumele siqondise indlela esicabanga ngayo kanye lemizwa yethu futhi silandele izenzo zikaJehova, imizwa yakhe kanye lemicabango yakhe.

7, 8. Landisa isibonelo esitshengisa ukuthi umuntu angasenza njani isinqumo esihle lanxa ephakathi kobunzima.

⁷ Cabanga ngesibonelo lesi. Kuyinto ejayelekileyo kwabaphandle kwelizwe ukuthi bathumele abantwababo abasanda kuzalwa emakhaya akibo ukuze izihlobo zabo kube yizo ezibondlayo, njalo bona baqhubeke bephanda imali. * Omunye umama owayephandle kwelizwe wabeletha umntwana omuhle ongumfana. Ngesikhathi leso waqalisa ukufunda iBhayibhili njalo wathuthuka kuhle kakhulu. Izihlobo labangane baqalisa ukubahlupha yena lomkakhe besithi kabahambise umntwana ekhaya kukhulu logogo. Kodwa ekufundeni kwakhe, umama lo wananzelela ukuthi kungumlandu wakhe awuphiwe nguNkulunkulu ukukhulisa umntanakhe. (Hubo. 127:3; Efe. 6:4) Kwakumele awulandele yini umkhuba abanengi ababewubona ulengqondo? Kumbe alandele lokho ayekufunde eBhayibhilini, abe sengozini yokuswela imali futhi abe elokhu eseyiswa ngabantu? Wena kunguwe wawuzakwenzani?

⁸ Ezizwa esephakathi kwelitshe lembokodo njalo edanile, umama lo watshela uJehova okwakusenhliziyweni yakhe efuna ukuthi amqondise. Wakhuluma lodadewethu ayefunda laye iBhayibhili kanye labanye ebandleni mayelana lesimo lesi ayekuso waqalisa ukubona umbono kaJehova ngendaba le. Waqalisa ukucabanga langobuhlungu abantwana ababuzwayo nxa besehlukaniswa labazali babo besesebancane. Eseyihlolisisile  indaba le esebenzisa iMibhalo wahle wenza isinqumo sokuthi ngeke ehlukane lomntanakhe. Umkakhe wabona ukuthi amalunga ebandla ayebasekela kakhulu wabona lendlela umntwana ayethokoza ngayo njalo elempilakahle. Wamukela isifundo seBhayibhili njalo waqalisa ukungena imihlangano lemuli yakhe.

9, 10. Kutshoni ukusebenzisa ukucabanga ngokuqonda njalo singakwenza njani lokhu?

⁹ Lesi yisibonelo esisodwa esitshengisa ukuthi ukusebenzisa ukucabanga ngokuqonda akutsho ukulandela nje lokho thina kumbe abanye abacabanga ukuthi kulengqondo kumbe kulusizo ngalesosikhathi. Ingqondo yethu lenhliziyo yethu njengabantu abalesono ingafaniswa lewatshi egijima kakhulu kumbe ehamba kancane kancane. Ukuqondiswa yiyo kungasithela emanyaleni. (Jer. 17:9) Kumele izingqondo zethu lezinhliziyo kuvumelane lezimiso zikaNkulunkulu esingazithemba.​—Bala u-Isaya 55:8, 9.

¹⁰ Kulesizatho esihle esenza iBhayibhili lisixwayise ukuthi: “Themba kuJehova ngenhliziyo yakho yonke, ungathembi okwakho ukuzwisisa; mvume kuzo zonke izindlela zakho, yena uzaqondisa zonke izindlela zakho.” (Zaga. 3:5, 6) Nanzelela umutsho othi “ungathembi okwakho ukuzwisisa.” Ulandelwa ngothi “mvume [uJehova].” Nguye kuphela ocabanga ngokuqonda okupheleleyo. Lokhu kutsho ukuthi nxa kulesinqumo okumele sisenze kumele sibale iBhayibhili ukuze sibone ukuthi umbono kaNkulunkulu uthini. Sibe sesisenza isinqumo sethu sisebenzisa lokho esikufundileyo. Yikho kanye okuthiwa yikusebenzisa ukucabanga ngokuqonda, ukulandela umbono kaJehova.

11. Kuyini okuyisiqokoqela ekufundeni ukwenza izinqumo ezitshengisa ukuhlakanipha?

¹¹ Ukufunda ukwenza izinqumo ezitshengisa ukuhlakanipha lokuzifeza akulula. Lokhu kungaba nzima kakhulu kulabo abasanda kwamukela iqiniso kumbe labo asebeqala ukuthuthuka ukuze bakhule ekukhonzeni. Lanxa kunjalo, laba iBhayibhili elibabiza ngokuthi zinsane ekukhonzeni bangathuthuka. Cabanga indlela usana olufunda ngayo ukuhamba. Isiqokoqela sokuphumelela sisekucathuleni kwalo kancane kancane, lokwenza lokhu kanenginengi. Kunjalo langalabo abasesezinsane ekukhonzeni nxa bezama ukwenza izinqumo ezitshengisa ukuhlakanipha. Khumbula ukuthi umphostoli uPhawuli wachaza  asebekhulile ekukhonzeni njengalabo ‘asebazifundisa kumbe asebaqeqetsha amandla abo okucabanga ukuze behlukanise okuhle kokubi.’ Ibala elithi “asebazifundisa” litshengisa ukuthi uyabe uqhubeka uzama futhi ulokhu uphindaphinda, okuyikho okumele abantu abatsha bakwenze.​—Bala uHebheru 5:13, 14

12. Ungalithola njani ikhono lokwenza izinqumo ezitshengisa ukuhlakanipha?

¹² Njengoba kuke kwatshiwo, nsukuzonke kumele senze izinqumo ezinengi, ezinkulu kanye lezincane. Okunye ukucubungula kuveza ukuthi amaphesenti adlula angu-40 alokho esikwenzayo siyabe singahlalanga phansi sacabangisisa, kodwa yimikhuba nje esiyinjayelo. Ngokwesibonelo kungenzeka ukuthi nsukuzonke ekuseni kumele ukhethe ukuthi uzagqokani. Lokhu ungakuthatha njengento encane nje, njalo wenze isinqumo sakho ungazange ucabangisise, ikakhulu nxa ujahile. Kodwa kuqakathekile ukuthi ucabange ngokuthi izigqoko zakho ziyatshengisa yini ukuthi uyisikhonzi sikaJehova. (2 Kor. 6:3, 4) Nxa usiyathenga izigqoko kungenzeka ucabange ngezitayila lezimpahla zesimanjemanje kodwa uthini ngokudula kwazo lokuhlonipheka kwazo. Ukwenza izinqumo ezinhle ezintweni lezi ngokunye okuzakuncedisa ukuthi uqeqetshe amandla akho okucabanga. Besekukuphathisa lokuthi wenze izinqumo ezinhle lasezindabeni eziqakathekileyo.​—Luka. 16:10; 1 Kor. 10:31.

13. Kuyini okudingakalayo ukuze sibe leqiniso lokuthi silandelela isinqumo esesisenzile?

¹³ Sonke siyakwazi ukuthi ukwenza isinqumo ngumsebenzi, kodwa ukunamathela kuso lokusilandelela ngomunye futhi umsebenzi. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu abafuna ukwekela ukubhema balesifiso kodwa bayehluleka ngenxa yokuthi isifiso sabo kasenelanga. Okudingakalayo yikuzimisela ukulandela inyathelo osulithethe. Abanye bakholwa ukuthi isifiso esilamandla sokwenza okuthile singafaniswa lomsipha. Ukuhlala siwusebenzisa kumbe siwulolonga kuwenza uqine kakhulu. Kodwa singekela ukwenza lokhu uba buthakathaka. Kuyini-ke okungasinceda ukuthi siqine njalo sinamathele kulokho esikhethe ukukwenza njalo sikufeze? Okungasinceda yikuthandaza kuJehova.​—Bala uFiliphi 2:13.

14. Kungani uPhawuli waba lamandla okwenza lokho ayekwazi ukuthi kumele akwenze?

¹⁴ UPhawuli wakubona lokhu empilweni yakhe. Wakhalaza wathi: “Ngilesifiso sokwenza okuhle, kodwa angingeke ngikufeze.” Wayekwazi ayemele akwenze lalokho ayefuna ukukwenza kodwa kwesinye isikhathi kulento eyayimvalela ekwenzeni lokhu. Waze wavuma esithi: “Ebuntwini bami bangaphakathi ngiyathokoza ngomthetho kaNkulunkulu; kodwa ngibona omunye umthetho usebenza ezithweni zami, usilwa lomthetho wengqondo yami ungenza ngibe yisibotshwa somthetho wesono osebenzayo ezithweni zami.” Lokhu kutsho ukuthi kwakungaselathemba yini? Hatshi. Wathi: “Kabongwe uNkulunkulu​—ngoJesu Khristu iNkosi yethu!” (Roma. 7:18, 22-25) Kwenye incwadi wabhala wathi: “Ngingazenza zonke izinto ngaye onginika amandla.”​—Flp. 4:13.

15. Ukwenza isinqumo kumbe ukuthikaza ukusenza kungabathinta njani abakwenzayo lokhu?

¹⁵ Kuyacaca ukuthi ukuze sithokozise uNkulunkulu kumele singathikazi ukuthatha inyathelo. Khumbula amazwi ka-Elija awatshela labo ababekhonza uBhali kanye labako-Israyeli ababeyizihlubuki entabeni iKhameli: ‘Lizathandabuza kuze kube nini ngeminakano emibili le na? Nxa uJehova enguNkulunkulu mlandeleni kodwa nxa uBhali engunkulunkulu, mlandeleni.’ (1 AmaKho. 18:21) Abantwana bako-Israyeli babekwazi okwakumele bakwenze kodwa babelokhu ‘bethandabuza’ ukwenza isinqumo. Okwakwenziwe nguJoshuwa eminyakeni eyayisidlulile kwakulomehluko omkhulu. Waba yisibonelo esihle kwabako-Israyeli lapho esithi kubo: ‘Nxa ukukhonza uJehova kukhanya  kungathandeki kini, khethani phakathi kwenu namhlanje lowo elizamkhonza. Kodwa mina lendlu yami sizakhonza uJehova.’ (Josh. 24:15) Waba yini umpumela wokuzimisela kwakhe? UJoshuwa lalabo abakhetha ukumlandela babusiswa ngokuba yizakhamuzi eLizweni ababelithenjisiwe, “ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju.”​—Josh. 5:6.

16, 17. Nika isibonelo ngobuhle bokwenza izinqumo ezivumelana lentando kaNkulunkulu.

¹⁶ Cabanga ngesibonelo salamuhla. Umfowethu osanda kubhaphathizwa utshadile, futhi yena lomkakhe balabantwana abancane abathathu. Kwelinye ilanga omunye asebenza laye wathi kungcono bahambe kwenye inkampani eyayibhadala imali ethe xaxa njalo eyayizabenzela ezinye izinto ezinengi. Umfowethu wacabanga njalo wathandaza ngaloludaba. Umsebenzi wakhe wawungelaholo elimangalisayo kodwa wayewukhethele ukuthi wawumvumela ukuthi angayi emsebenzini ngempelaviki abesethola isikhathi sokuya emihlanganweni, njalo lokuya enkonzweni yasensimini lemuli yakhe. Wacabanga ngokuthi kwakungamthatha isikhathi eside ukuthi aphinde athole isikhathi esinjengalesi nxa wayengathatha lowo msebenzi omutsha. Kunguwe wawuzakwenzani?

¹⁷ Eqathanisa ubuhle bokukhonza kanye lomsebenzi obhadala kuhle, umfowethu wakhetha ukungawuthathi lowomsebenzi. Ucabanga ukuthi wazisola yini ngesinqumo sakhe? Ngitsho lakancane. Wabona ukuthi izibusiso zokukhonza zingamnceda kakhulu yena lemuli yakhe kulokuthola umholo ongcono. Yena lomkakhe bathaba bafa lapho indodakazi yabo elizibulo eleminyaka elitshumi ibatshela ukuthi iyabathanda lokuthi ithanda abafowethu labodadewethu njalo iyamthanda kakhulu uJehova. Yathi yona yayisifuna ukunikela ukuphila kwayo kuJehova futhi ibhaphathizwe. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi isibonelo sikayise sokuqakathekisa ukukhonza uJehova ukwedlula loba yini sayithinta kakhulu!

18. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi senze izinqumo zethu ngendlela etshengisa ukuhlakanipha nsukuzonke?

¹⁸ UMosi oMkhulu uJesu Khristu ubelokhu ekhokhela izikhonzi zikaJehova enkangala yomhlaba kaSathane okwamatshumi amanengi eminyaka. NjengoJoshuwa oMkhulu, uJesu usezatshabalalisa umumo lo omubi njalo akhokhele abalandeli bakhe emhlabeni omutsha owathenjiswayo lapho okuzabe kulokulunga khona. (2 Pet. 3:13) Yikho-ke, isikhathi lesi esikuso kayisiso sokubuyela emuva endleleni esasicabanga ngayo, emikhubeni emidala, emasikweni kanye lasezifisweni zethu. Lesi yisikhathi sokuthi kuqhubeke kusicacele ukuthi uNkulunkulu ufunani kithi. (Roma. 12:2; 2 Kor. 13:5) Akuthi izinqumo zakho lezinto ozikhethayo nsukuzonke zitshengise ukuthi ungumuntu okumele athole izibusiso zikaNkulunkulu ezingapheliyo.​—Bala uHebheru 10:38, 39.