1-3. (a) Khuyini ukuzisola, begodu kungasithinta njani? (b) Khuyini esingayifunda kuPowula ngokukhonza uZimu ngaphandle kokuzisola?

IMBONGI yatlola: “Kiwo woke amezwi abuhlungu atjhiwo ngomlomo nofana atlolwa ngepeni, abuhlungu khulu kunawo woke ngila: ‘Ngathana kwaba!’” Imbongi leyo bekunguJ. G. Whittier, begodu bekaqalisele eentweni esizisola ngazo, esifisa ngasuthi singafumana elinye ithuba lokuzenza begodu sizenze ngokuhlukileko. “Ukuzisola” kutjho ubuhlungu obusengqondweni ngebanga lokuthileko okwenziwe nofana okungakhange kwenziwe, begodu kungatjho “ukulila godu.” Soke sakhe senza izinto esifisa ngasuthi singabuyela emva sizenze ngokuhlukileko. Khuyini ozisola ngayo?

² Abanye abantu bakhe benza imitjhapho ezwisa ubuhlungu ekuphileni kwabo, benza ngitjho nezono ezikulu. Abanye khenge benze litho elimbi, kodwana bayazibuza bona ezinye zeenqunto abazenza ekuphileni kwabo bekungezilungileko kwamambala. Abanye abantu bakghonile ukudlulisa okwenzeke esikhathini esidlulileko begodu baragele phambili nokuphila kwabo. Abanye nebacabanga ngesikhathi esidlulileko bafikelwa mazizo wokobana “ngathana.” (Rha. 51:3) Kuthiwani ngawe? Ufisa kwanga ungakhonza uZimu ngaphandle kokuzisola—okunganani kusukela namhlanje kuye phambili? Sikhona na isibonelo samambala esingafunda kiso ukwenza njalo? Kwamambala sikhona—ngumpostoli uPowula.

³ Hlangana nokuphila kwakhe, uPowula wenza kokubili imitjhapho emimbi neenqunto ezihlakaniphileko. Wazisola ngokudephileko ngezinto azenza esikhathini esidlulileko, kodwana wafunda nokuphumelelisa ukuphila kwakhe ekonzweni kaZimu. Akhe sihlole bona isibonelo sakhe singasifundisani ngokukhonza ngaphandle kokuzisola.

4. Ngiziphi izinto uPowula azenza esikhathini esidlulileko azisola ngazo?

⁴ NjengomFarisi osesemutjha, uPowula wenza izinto  azisola ngazo ngokukhamba kwesikhathi. Ngokwesibonelo, wadosa phambili ijima lokutjhutjhisa abafundi bakaKrestu ngelunya. Ukulandisa kweBhayibhili kuthi msinyana ngemva kobana uSidefani abulawelwe ikholo, “USawula [kamva owaziwa ngokobana nguPowula] . . . walinga ukurhayila ibandla; akhamba angena indlu ngendlu arhurhubisela amakholwa ngaphandle, amadoda nabafazi, abadlhunya ngesikhungweni.” (IzE. 8:3) Isazi u-Albert Barnes sathi ibizo lesiGirigi elitjhugululwe ngokuthi “ukurhayila” “libizo elinamandla, elitjengisa itjiseko nelaka [uSawula] abandakanyeka ngayo ekutjhutjhiseni.” Ngalokho uBarnes wathi, “uSawula walwa nesondo njengesibanda somango.” NjengomJuda ozinikeleko, uSawula bekakholelwa bona bekumsebenzi awunikelwe nguZimu wokobana aqede ubuKrestu. Ngalokho watjhutjhisa amaKrestu ngelunya “waphikelela ngokuthusa abafundi bakaJesu ngokubabulala . . . amadoda nabafazi,” ngokulinga ukubatjhabalalisa.—IzE. 9:1, 2; 22:4. *

5. Hlathulula indlela uSawula atjhugululwa ngayo ekutjhutjhiseni abalandeli bakaJesu bona batjhumayele ngoKrestu.

⁵ Gade kumnqopho kaSawula ukuya eDamaseku, ukuyothatha abafundi ngekani emizinabo, abarhudulele eJerusalema bona bayokuqalana nelaka leSanhedrini. Nokho, wabhalelwa ngombana bekalwa neHloko yebandla lobuKrestu. (Efe. 5:23) USawula nekasendleleni eya eDamaseku, uJesu wavela kuye begodu uSawula waphophazwa mkhanyo ngokusimangaliso. Ngemva kwalokho uJesu wathumela uSawula eDamaseku bona alindele ukufumana eminye imininingwana. Siyazi bona kwenzakalani ngemva kwalokho.—IzE. 9:3-22.

6, 7. Khuyini etjengisa bona uPowula bekabazi ubuhlungu bezinto azenza esikhathini esidlulileko?

⁶ Izinto uPowula egade aziqala njengeziqakathekileko zatjhentjha msinyana njengombana aba mKrestu. Kunokobana abe linaba elinelaka lobuKrestu, wabulwela ngetjiseko. Ngitjho nanyana kunjalo, kamva watlola ngaye wathi: “Natjelwa bona bengiphila njani nangisazinikeleko ngokupheleleko ekolweni yamaJuda, bona bengilitlhagisa kangangani ibandla lakaZimu, begodu bengilinga ngamandla wami woke bona ngilirhayile.” (Gal. 1:13) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, wakhuluma godu ngezinto zangesikhathi esidlulileko azisola ngazo nekatlolela beKorinte, beFilipi, noThimothi. (Funda 1 Korinte 15:9; Fil. 3:6; 1 Thi. 1:13) UPowula gade angazikhakhazisi ngokutlola izinto ezinjalo ngaye, kodwana akhenge alinge ukwenza ngasuthi azikenzeki. Bekazi bona wenza imitjhapho emikhulu.—IzE. 26:9-11.

⁷ Isazi seBhayibhili uFrederic W. Farrar waqalisela endimeni uSawula ayidlalako “emsebenzini omumbi wokutjhutjhisa.” UFarrar wangezelela bona kulokha nesihlolisisa imiphumela esabekako yesikhathi esizwisa ubuhlungwesi ekuphileni kwakaPowula lapho “sizwa khona umthwalo wokuzisola okufuze bona gade usemahlombakhe, nokunyefula okufuze bona waqalana nakho emanabenakhe egade amhloya.” Mhlamunye ngezinye iinkhathi kuPowula bekuza abazalwana emabandleni ahlukahlukeneko egade awavakatjhela, abebathoma ukumbona, bathi, ‘Kanti nguwe uPowula—owasitjhutjhisako!’—IzE. 9:21.

8. UPowula wazizwa njani ngomusa nethando uJehova noJesu abamtjengisa lona, begodu ngisiphi isifundo okusifundisa sona?

⁸ Nokho, uPowula walemuka bona bekakghona ukwenza ikonzwakhe ngebanga lomusa kaZimu ongakafaneli. Ukhuluma ngefanelo kaZimu yomusa iinkhathi ezi-90 eencwadini zakhe ezi-14—ukudlula nanyana ngimuphi umtloli weBhayibhili. (Funda 1 Korinte 15:10.) UPowula bekayazisa indlela yomusa aphathwa ngayo, begodu bekafuna ukuqinisekisa bona umusa kaZimu ongakafaneli akawuboniswa ngelize. Ngalokho ‘wasebenza khulu’ ukudlula abanye abapostoli. Isibonelo sakaPowula sitjengisa ngokukhanyako bona  nesivuma izono zethu begodu sitjhentjhe ikambo yethu, uJehova uzimisele ukulibalela ngitjho nezono ezikulu ngesisekelo somhlatjelo kaJesu wesihlengo. Qala bona lokhu sifundo esihle kangangani kunanyana ngubani okufumana kubudisi ukukholelwa bona iinzuzo zomhlatjelo kaKrestu zingasebenza kuye! (Funda 1 Thimothi 1:15, 16.) Ngitjho nanyana uPowula bekamtjhutjhisi kaKrestu onelunya, bekangatlola athi: ‘INdodana kaZimu, yangithanda yanikela ipilo yayo ngebanga lami.’ (Gal. 2:20; IzE. 9:5) Liqiniso, uPowula wafunda ikambisolawulo yendlela yokukhonza ngaphandle kokuzisola ngokungeziweko. Ngilokho okufundileko?

9, 10. (a) Kubayini abanye abantu bakaJehova bazisola? (b) Yini engakalungi ngokutshwenyeka ngezinto zesikhathi esidlulileko?

⁹ Wakhe wenza izinto ozisola ngazo nje? Umorose amandla nesikhathi esiqakathekileko ulwela ukufikelela izinto ezingakafaneli? Wakhe wenza izinto ngendlela eyalimaza abanye? Namtjhana kungenzeka bona unamazizo wokuzisola ngamanye amabanga. Umbuzo kukobana, Ungenzani ngakho?

¹⁰ Abantu abanengi bayatshwenyeka! Ukutshwenyeka kutjho ukuzitshwenya, ukuzisilinga, ukuzitjhutjhisa. Kubangela ukutshwenyeka okukhulu. Kghani ukutshwenyeka kurarulula imiraro? Awa! Cabanga ulinga ukuya phambili ngokusolo usikinya isitulo esiya phambili nemva, usebenzise amandlakho woke kodwana ungayi ndawo! Kunokobana utshwenyeke, ukwenza okuthileko okuhle kungaba nemiphumela emihle. Ungabawa ukulitjalelwa emntwini omonileko, mhlamunye ngokubuyisa ubuhlobo obuhle. Ungabalekela nanyana yini engakudosela esenzweni esingakalungi, ngokwenza njalo ukhandela ukwenza eminye imiraro engavela esikhathini esizako. Godu, kungatlhogeka uphile nemiphumela yobujamo obuthileko. Kodwana ukutshwenyeka lihlobo elithileko lokukhubazeka okungatjhiya umuntu angakwazi ukukhonza uZimu ocwengileko ngokuzeleko. Begodu akunamvuzo ukutshwenyeka!

11. (a) Singasamukela njani isirhawu nomusa wethando kaJehova? (b) Ngiyiphi ikambiso elungiselelwe nguZimu yokufumana ukuthula kwengqondo malungana nemitjhaphwethu yesikhathi esidlulileko?

 ¹¹ Abanye banomukghwa wokuvumela izinto ebazenza esikhathini esidlulileko zibaqede amandla bekube sezingeni lokobana bazizwe bangafaneleki emehlweni kaZimu. Bangaba namazizo wokobana abasawufanelekeli umusa kaZimu, kungaba ngebanga lokobana baphambuka khulu nofana kanengi. Nokho, iqiniso kukobana kungakhathaliseki bona khuyini abayenza esikhathini esidlulileko, bangaphenduka, batjhentjhe, begodu babawe ukulitjalelwa. (IzE. 3:19) Isirhawu sakaJehova nomusa wethando ungangezeleleka kibo njengombana enza kwabanye abanengi. UJehova uzomqala ngomusa umuntu othobekileko nothembekileko akubone nokuphenduka kwakhe okusuka ehliziyweni. Wenza njalo kuJobhi, owathi: “Ngiyaphenduka [“ngiyazisola”] ethulini nemlotheni.” (Job. 42:6) Soke kufuze silandele ikambiso kaZimu yokufumana ukuthula kwengqondo ethi: “Ofihla imitjhaphwakhe ngekhe aphumelele, kodwana oyivumako ayitjhiye uzokuboniswa isirhawu.” (IzA. 28:13; Jak. 5:14-16) Ngalokho singavuma kuZimu, sithandaze simbawe asilibalele, bese sithatha amagadango wokulungisa esikwenzileko. (2 Kor. 7:10, 11) Nesenza zoke iintwezi, ngalokho singathabela isirhawu saLoyo ‘olibalela ngendlela ekulu.’—Isa. 55:7.

12. (a) Isibonelo sakaDavidi sisifundisani ngendlela engcono yokuqalana nesazelo esimlandu? (b) Kungamuphi umqondo uJehova azisola, begodu ukwazi lokho kusisiza njani? (Qala ibhoksi.)

¹² Umthandazo unamandla; wenza okukhulu kuZimu. UDavidi waveza amazizwakhe adephileko emthandazweni wekholo obekwe kuhle kumaRhalani. (Funda iRhalani 32:1-5.) Njengombana uDavidi avuma, ukulinga ukugandelela isazelo esimlandu kwamenza wadinwa! Eqinisweni wezwa imiphumela ebuhlungu ngokwengqondo nangokomzimba begodu waphelelwa lithabo ngebanga lokungavumi umtjhaphwakhe. Yini eyamenza walitjalelwa begodu wafumana ipumuzo? Kuvuma umtjhaphwakhe kuZimu. UJehova waphendula umthandazo kaDavidi begodu wamqinisa bona aragele phambili nepilwakhe afeze izinto ezizuzisako. Ngokufanako, newuthandaza ngokusuka ehliziyweni, ungaqiniseka bona uJehova uzositjheja isibawo sakho. Nengabe imitjhapho yangesikhathi esidlulileko iyakutshwenya, ilungise ngezinga ongenza ngalo bese uyasikholelwa isiqinisekiso sakaJehova sokobana ukulibalele!—Rha. 86:5.

13, 14. (a) Khuyini okufuze sitshwenyeke ngayo khulu nje? (b) Ngimiphi imibuzo engasitjhukumisela bona sihlolisise ubujamo bethu bokuphila bagadesi?

¹³ Kuyatjhiwo bona ukuphila singakuzwisisa ngokuqala emva, kodwana sikuphile ngokuqala phambili. Ngalokho kunobana sitshwenyeke ngezinto esizenze esikhathini esidlulileko, kufuze sitshwenyeke ngezinto zagadesi nezangomuso. Khuyini esiyenzako nje, namtjhana esibhalelwa kuyenza, eminyakeni eminengi ukusukela nje esingafisa ngathana akhenge siyenze nofana sayenza ngendlela  ehlukileko? Kghani sibulunga ikambo yokuthembeka ezosikhandela bona singazisoli esikhathini esizako?

¹⁴ Njengombana isizi elikhulu litjhidela, asifuni ukutshwenywa micabango enjalo enjengale: ‘Kghani bengingenza okungeziweko ekonzweni kaZimu? Kubayini ngingakhange ngiphayone ithuba nelivelako? Yini eyangikhandela bona ngifikelele ukukhonza njengenceku ekhonzako? Ngawenza umzamo wokwembatha ubuntu obutjha? Kghani ngilihlobo lomuntu uJehova alifunako ephasini lakhe elitjha?’ Kunokobana sitshwenyeke ngemibuzo ekwenza ucabange, sifuna ukuyisebenzisa bona sizihlole begodu siqiniseke bonyana sinikela okungcono khulu ekonzweni kaJehova. Ngalokho, singaragela phambili ngendlela yokuphila engenza bona sizisole ngokungeziweko.—2 Thi. 2:15.

15, 16. (a) Ngikuphi ukuzidela abanengi abakwenzileko bona babeke ikonzo kaZimu qangi ekuphileni kwabo? (b) Kubayini kungakafuzi sizisole ngokuzidela esakwenzako ngokubeka iinkareko zomBuso qangi?

¹⁵ Kuthiwani ngabanye benu abazidela bona bakhonze uJehova ngokuzeleko? Mhlamunye watjhiya ibizelo nofana ibhizinisi eliphumeleleko bona wenze ukuphila kwakho kube lula begodu ube nesikhathi esingeziweko sokuphitjhekela iinkareko zomBuso. Mhlamunye wakhe wahlala ungakatjhadi nofana utjhadile, waqunta ukudela ukuba nabantwana ukwenzela bona uzenze utholakalele umkhakha othileko wekonzo yesikhathi esizeleko ogade ungekhe wakwazi ukuyithabela—ikonzo yeBethel, umsebenzi wokwakha ephasini loke, ukuba mbonisi wesifunda nofana ikonzo yeenthunywa zevangeli. Kghani kufuze uzisole ngeenqunto zakho njengombana ukhula ekonzweni kaJehova? Kufuze uzizwe kwanga ukuzidela owakwenzako bekungatlhogeki namtjhana bekungakafaneli na? Awa akusinjalo!

¹⁶ Wenza iinquntwezo ngokusekelwe ethandweni lakho elidephileko ngoJehova nangesifiso esinamandla sokusiza abanye abafuna ukumkhonza. Akukafuzi ucabange bona izinto bezingaba ngcono ngathana waphila ipilwakho ngendlela ehlukileko. Unganeliseka khulu ngokwazi bona wenze lokho egade wazi bona kulungile kuwe. Ungathaba ngokobana wenza okungcono khulu ekukhonzeni uJehova. Ngeze ayilibala ipilwakho yokuzidela. Ekuphileni kwamambala okuzako, uzokuvuza ngeembusiso ezingcono khulu kunewungazicabanga nje!—Rha. 145:16; 1 Thi. 6:19.

17, 18. (a) Ngiyiphi ikambisolawulo eyasiza uPowula bona akhonze ngaphandle kokuzisola? (b) Khuyini ozimisele ukuyenza malungana newakwenza esikhathini esidlulileko, okwenza gadesi, nangomuso ekonzweni kaJehova?

¹⁷ Ngiyiphi ikambisolawulo uPowula ayifunda eyamsiza bona akhonze uZimu ngaphandle kokhunye ukuzisola? Ngokwetjhugululo ka-J. B. Phillips, uPowula watlola: “Ngitjhiya okungemva kwami, ngilinge ngawo woke amandla wami ukufikelela nanyana yini engaphambili ngitjhinga emnqophweni.” (Funda Filipi 3:13, 14.) UPowula khenge ahlale ekambweni engakafaneli egade ayiphitjhekele ebuJudeni. Kunalokho, wasebenzisa woke amandlakhe ekuzenzeni afanelekele umtlomelo wesikhathi esizako wokuphila okungapheliko.

¹⁸ Soke singasebenzisa ikambisolawulo esemezwini kaPowula. Kunokobana sisolo sitshwenyeka ngesikwenze esikhathini esidlulileko, sidzimelele kilokho esingeze sakulungisa, kufuze sifikelele okuphambili kilokho okungaphambili. Kungenzeka singakghoni ukuyikhohlwa imitjhaphwethu yangesikhathi esidlulileko, kodwana akutlhogeki bona sisolo sizibetha ngayo. Singalwela ukudlulisa esakwenzako esikhathini esidlulileko, sikhonze uZimu ngawo woke amandlethu nje, begodu siqale phambili engomusweni eliphazimulako!