1-3. Kuyini okwanceda uPhawuli ukuthi athembe ukuthi uJehova wayengeke amlahle loba sekutheni? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

AMAKHRISTU ayethwele amagabha avuzayo eRoma. Ngo-64 C.E., kwathiwa yiwo ayebangele umlilo omkhulu edolobheni njalo lasemphakathini ayegconwa ngokuthi ayabazonda abantu. Konke lokhu kwakubangela ukuthi ahlukuluzwe kabuhlungu. Aluba lawe wawungumKhristu ngaleso sikhathi, wawungabotshwa kumbe uhlukuluzwe loba nini. Mhlawumbe wawuzazibonela abanye abafowenu labodadewenu benikelwa ezinyamazaneni ezazibadlithiza bephila kumbe bebethelwa njalo betshiswa ukuze bakhanyise njengezibane ebusuku.

² Kungenzakala ukuthi yiso isikhathi uPhawuli abotshwa ngaso okwesibili eRoma. Amanye amaKhristu ayezamnceda yini? Engxenye lokhu kwakumhlupha ngoba wayekhumbula okwakwenzakale kuqala, waze wabhalela uThimothi wathi: “Ekuzivikeleni kwami kwakuqala, kakho owazangisekela, kodwa abantu bonke bangibalekela. Kabangabi lamlandu walokhu.” Lanxa kunjalo, uPhawuli wachaza ukuthi waluthola usizo. Wabhala wathi: “INkosi yema phansi kwami yangipha amandla.” Lakanye iNkosi uJesu yamnika amandla ukuze ame aqine. Lokhu kwamnceda yini uPhawuli?  Kwamnceda sibili waze wathi: “Ngakhutshwa emlonyeni wesilwane.”—2 Tim. 4:16, 17. *

³ Ukukhumbula ukuthi uJehova wayemkhuphe emlonyeni wesilwane kungabe kwamnceda uPhawuli ukuthi angathandabuzi ukuthi uJehova wayezamqinisa ukuze enelise ukubhensela zonke izinhlupho ayephakathi kwazo lezinye ezazingamehlela ngesikhathi esizayo. Yikho waqhubeka wathi: “INkosi izangihlenga kukho konke ukuhlaselwa okubi.” (2 Tim. 4:18) UPhawuli wakubona ukuthi lanxa wayengaze asale esegcekeni kungelamuntu ongamsiza, uJehova leNdodana yakhe babengeke bamtshiye.

4, 5. (a) Ngubani ongeke ehluleke ukukunceda loba sekutheni? (b) Ungabuqinisa njani ubuhlobo bakho loJehova?

⁴ Wake waba phakathi kwenziki yohlupho yini waswela lomuntu ongakunceda? Mhlawumbe kwakuyikuswela umsebenzi, ukuhlutshwa esikolo loba ukuhlaselwa ngumkhuhlane kumbe ezinye indubo eziqeda amandla. Kungenzakala ukuthi wacela uncedo kwabanye kodwa wadana kakhulu ngoba abazange benelise ukukuphathisa. Phela ezinye izinhlupho ziphezu kwamandla abantu. Yikho iBhayibhili likhuthaza ukuthi nxa usuphakathi kwelitshe lembokodo kumele ‘uthembe uJehova.’ (Zaga. 3:5, 6) Kambe isixwayiso lesi siyasebenza yini? Siyasebenza sibili. IBhayibhili lilezibonelo ezinengi ezitshengisa ukuthi uJehova uyenelisa ukusiza abantu bakhe.

⁵ Kulokuthi uzonde nxa abantu bengenelisi ukukunceda, yenza njengoPhawuli. Kuthathe njengethuba lokutshengisa ukuthi uyamthemba ngenhliziyo yonke uJehova njalo uzabona ukuthi uyakukhathalela sibili. Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi umthembe kukho konke okwenzayo njalo kuzakwenza lokuthi ubuhlobo benu buqine kakhulu.

6. Kungani kungaba nzima ukuthemba uJehova nxa uphakathi kohlupho?

⁶ Ungenelisa yini ukuthi uthandaze kuJehova umtshela ngohlupho lwakho, ubusuzihlalela ukhohlwe ngalo, ngoba uyabe usukwazi ukuthi usuwenzile umlandu wakho lokuthi uhlupho selusezandleni zakhe? Ye ungenelisa. (Bala iHubo 62:8; 1 Phetro 5:7.) Ukufunda ukwenza lokhu kuqakathekile nxa ufuna ukuthi ubuhlobo bakho loJehova buqine. Kodwa kungaba nzima ukuthi ukholwe ukuthi uJehova uzakunika lokho okucelayo. Ngani? Esinye isizathu yikuthi kwezinye izikhathi nxa ucela okuthile kuJehova kakuphenduli khonapho khonapho.—Hubo. 13:1, 2; 74:10; 89:46; 90:13; Hab. 1:2.

7. Kungani kwezinye izikhathi uJehova engayiphenduli masinyane imithandazo yethu?

⁷ Kungani kwezinye izikhathi uJehova engayiphenduli masinyane imithandazo yethu? UJehova ufanisa ubuhlobo bethu laye lobuhlobo obuphakathi kukababa lendodana yakhe. (Hubo. 103:13) Umzali kangeke anike umntanakhe konke akucelayo kumbe ahle amuphe esanda kucela. Phela kwesinye isikhathi umntwana uyakhalela into ethile kodwa ngesikhatshana abe engasayifuni. Kungenzakala lokuthi isikhathi sokuthi aphiwe lokho akucelayo siyabe singakafiki. Kanti njalo umzali uyakwazi ukuthi kuyini okumfaneleyo umntwana futhi uyacabanga langokuthi abanye kungabaphatha njani. Ukwenzela umntwana yonke into ayifunayo esanda kucela nje kungenza ukuthi ubaba acine eseyisigqili somntwana kulokuthi abe nguyise. Ngakho-ke uJehova laye angayekela kuqale kudlule isikhathi engakasiniki esikucelayo ngoba uyabe ekwazi ukuthi ukwenza njalo kunceda thina. Lokhu kulilungelo lakhe ngoba unguMdali wethu ohlakaniphileyo, uyiNkosi yethu esithandayo njalo unguBaba wethu osezulwini. Nxa esinika konke esikufunayo sisanda kucela, kuyacina sekukhanya angani uyisigqili sethu.—Khangela u-Isaya 29:16; 45:9.

8. UJehova usithembisani?

 ⁸ Okunye okumele sikukhumbule yikuthi uJehova uyakwazi ukuthi yibuphi ubunzima munye ngamunye wethu angabumela. (Hubo. 103:14) Ngakho-ke kakhangelelanga ukuthi silwisane lezinhlupho zethu sisodwa kodwa uyasisekela ngoba uyasithanda. Kuliqiniso ukuthi kwezinye izikhathi singacina sesiswele ukuthi senzeni. Kodwa uJehova usithembisa ukuthi kasoze ayekele izinceku zakhe zisehlelwa yibunzima ezingeke zenelise ukubumela. Uzazinika “indlela yokuphunyuka.” (Bala u-1 Khorinte 10:13.) Ngakho-ke akumelanga sithandabuze ukuthi uJehova ukwazi mhlophe ukuthi kuyini esingenelisa ukukuthwala.

9. Kumele senzeni nxa singathandaza kuJehova sicela usizo kodwa singayitholi masinyane impendulo?

⁹ Nxa singathandaza kuJehova sicela usizo kodwa singayitholi masinyane impendulo kasimlindeleni ngoba nguye okwaziyo ukuthi kumele asiphendule nini. Laye uyabe esalindele ukuthi kufike isikhathi esifaneleyo sokuphendula izicelo zethu ngoba uhlala ezimisele ukusinceda. “UJehova ulangatha ukuba lomusa kini; uyavuka ukuba alitshengise isihawu. Ngoba uJehova unguNkulunkulu wokulunga. Babusisiwe bonke abamlindeleyo!”—Isaya. 30:18.

10-12. (a) Kuyini okungenza ukuthi kube nzima ukuthi umKhristu onge ilunga lemuli eselilesikhathi eside ligula? (b) Ukuthemba uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke ngezikhathi zobunzima kuzasinceda ngani? Landisa isibonelo.

¹⁰ Nxa usebunzimeni obukhulu njengoPhawuli lawe ungacina ubona angani usulunguze “emlonyeni wesilwane” kumbe usuphakathi kwawo. Lapho-ke kuyabe kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi uthembe uJehova lanxa kuyabe kunzima. Ngokwesibonelo, ake sithi wonga ilunga lemuli eselilesikhathi eside ligula. Mhlawumbe usuthandazile ucela ukuthi uJehova akunike amandla lokuhlakanipha. * Ungezwa njani nxa usubikele uJehova ngohlupho lwakho? Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi ungezwa usubethwa ngumoya ngoba uyabe ukwazi ukuthi uJehova ukukhangele njalo uzakunika konke okudingayo ukuze ume uqinile.—Hubo. 32:8.

¹¹ Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi ungabona angani uJehova ukutshiyile. Odokotela labo bangakutshela izinto ezitshiyeneyo. Izihlobo lazo zingabangela ukuthi izinto zibe nzima kakhulu lanxa ungabe ukhangelele ukuthi kube yizo ezizakududuza. Yikho-ke qhubeka usondela kuJehova njalo ungayekeli ukucela ukuthi akuphe amandla. (Bala u-1 Samuyeli 30:3, 6.) Ekucineni uzananzelela ukuthi uJehova kazange akutshiye njalo lokhu kuzabuqinisa kakhulu ubuhlobo bakho laye.

¹² Yikho kanye okwake kwenzakala kuLinda. * Kwasekudlule iminyaka esonga abazali bakhe ababegulela ukufa. Uthi: “Kwezinye izikhathi mina lomkami kanye lomfowethu sasithwala nzima siswele lokuthi sibambe ngaphi, sizizwe singaselamandla. Kodwa nxa sikhumbula konke okwakusenzakala ngalesosikhathi, kuyasicacela sibili ukuthi uJehova wayelathi. Wasiqinisa futhi wasinika esasikudinga lanxa kwasekukhanya angani akusela esingakwenza.”

13. Ukuthemba uJehova kwamnceda njani uRhonda ukuthi ame aqine ngesikhathi esehlelwa zinhlupho zilandelana?

¹³ Ukuthemba uJehova ngenhliziyo yonke kungasinceda nxa sesiphakathi kosizi. Yikho kanye okwenzakala kuRhonda. Umkakhe ongayisuye Fakazi waya emthethweni esiyafaka esicelo sokuchitha umtshado wabo. Esakhangelane lalokhu umfowabo laye wabanjwa umkhuhlane oyingozi kakhulu. Ngemva kwezinyanga ezilutshwana lokhu kwenzakele, umfowabo wafelwa ngumkakhe. Yathi isidlulile  yonke inkemenkeme le, uRhonda laye esezizwa esengcono, wathatha ubuphayona besikhathi sonke. Kodwa ngesikhatshana nje, waphinda wafelwa ngunina. Kuyini okwanceda uRhonda ukuthi amelane lobunzima lobu? Uthi: “Ngangikhuluma loJehova nsuku zonke futhi lokhu ngangikwenza lasezintweni ezincane. Lokhu kwabuqinisa kakhulu ubuhlobo bami loJehova. Kwangifundisa lokuthi ngithembe uJehova kuphela kulokuthi ngizithembe kumbe ngithembe abanye abantu. Lakanye wanginceda sibili ngoba konke engangikudinga ngakuthola. Khathesi sengikwazi ukuthi kumnandi njani ukubambisana loJehova.”

14. UJehova angakunceda njani nxa ilunga lemuli loba isihlobo sakho sisusiwe ebandleni?

¹⁴ Asixoxeni ngolunye uhlupho. Ake sithi ilunga lemuli yangakini loba isihlobo sakho sesisusiwe ebandleni. Ukwazi mhlophe ukuthi iBhayibhili lithi sibaphathe njani abantu abasusiweyo. (1 Khor. 5:11; 2 Joh. 10) Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi ukulandela isixwayiso esiseMibhalweni esiphathelane lokuthi sibaphathe njani abasusiweyo kungaba nzima kakhulu kumbe sikubone kuyinto engeke yenzakale. * UYihlo osezulwini nguye ongakunika amandla ukuze wenelise ukubambelela kulokhu iBhayibhili elikutshoyo ngomuntu osusiweyo. Uzamthemba yini? Kungaba kuhle lokuthi uthathe uhlupho lolu njengethuba lokuqinisa ubuhlobo bakho loJehova.

15. Kungani u-Adamu engawulalelanga umlayo kaJehova e-Edeni?

¹⁵ Cabanga ngendoda yokuqala u-Adamu. Wayengakwazi yini ukuthi wayezakufa nxa angephula umlayo kaJehova? Wayekwazi mhlophe ngoba iMibhalo isitshela ukuthi “kasuye owakhohliswayo.” (1 Tim. 2:14) Manje kuyini okwabangela ukuthi angalaleli?  Kumele ukuthi wavuma ukudla isithelo ngenxa yokuthi wayefuna ukuthokozisa umkakhe. Walalela ilizwi lomkakhe kulokuthi alalele elikaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe.—Gen. 3:6, 17.

16. Ngubani okumele simthande ukwedlula bonke abantu njalo kungani kumele senze njalo?

¹⁶ Lokhu akutsho ukuthi akusamelanga sithande izihlobo zethu lamalunga emuli zethu. Kodwa uJehova nguye okumele simthande ukwedlula loba ngubani. (Bala uMathewu 22:37, 38.) Kungelani lokuthi izinini zethu ziyamkhonza uJehova kumbe kazimkhonzi, ziyancedakala nxa zibona ukuthi siyamthanda ngenhliziyo yonke. Yikho-ke qhubeka uqinisa ubungane bakho loJehova njalo umthembe zikhathi zonke. Nxa kuyikuthi ubindana lemicabango ngenxa yokususwa kwelunga lemuli yangakini loba kwesihlobo sakho, thandaza ubikele uJehova konke okukukhathazayo. * (Rom. 12:12; Flp. 4:6, 7) Kubuhlungu sibili ukuthi ilunga lemuli loba isihlobo sakho sisuswe, kodwa kuthathe njengethuba lokuqinisa ubuhlobo bakho loJehova. Lokhu kuzakusiza ukuthi uthembe ukuthi uJehova nguye ozakwenza izinto zicine zihambe kuhle.

17. Yiliphi ithemba esingaba lalo nxa sikhuthele ekutshumayeleni?

¹⁷ Kungani uPhawuli ‘wakhutshwa emlonyeni wesilwane’? Wathi: “Ukuze kuthi ngami ilizwi litshunyayelwe ngokupheleleyo njalo kuthi labezizweni bonke balizwe.” (2 Tim. 4:17) Silethemba lokuthi nxa sikhuthele emsebenzini wokutshumayela njengoPhawuli, uJehova uzakuba leqiniso lokuthi ezinye izinto eziqakathekileyo ‘siyaziphiwa lazo.’ (Mat. 6:33) “Siphathiswe ivangeli” loMbuso njalo uJehova usibona “siyizisebenzi kanye” laye. (1 Thes. 2:4; 1 Khor. 3:9) Nxa sisebenza gadalala emsebenzini wokutshumayela, kuzakuba lula ukulindela ukuthi uNkulunkulu aphendule imithandazo yethu.

18. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi simthembe uJehova njalo siqinise ubuhlobo bethu laye?

¹⁸ Sonke kasizameni khathesi ukuqinisa ubuhlobo bethu loNkulunkulu. Nxa singehlelwa yibunzima obungenza siswele ubuthongo, kasikuthatheni njengethuba lokusondela phansi kukaJehova. Kasibeni lethemba lokuthi uJehova uyenelisa ukusincedisa kuzo zonke izilingo esingabe siphakathi kwazo khathesi lakwezinye ezingaba khona esikhathini esizayo. Lokhu singakwenza ngokuthandaza kokuphela, ngokukhuthala emisebenzini yobuKhristu langokubala iLizwi likaNkulunkulu, sihluze lokho esikubalayo njalo sicabangisise ngakho.