1, 2. Yiziphi izinto ezenzeka eFilipi ezaholela ekuboshweni kukaPawulu noSila? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

KUPHAKATHI kwamabili. UPawulu noSila, izithunywa zevangeli, basejele edolobheni laseFilipi. Izinyawo zabo ziboshiwe futhi imizimba yabo ibuhlungu ngenxa yokubhaxabulwa. (IzE. 16:23, 24) Izinto zavele zenzeka ngokushesha. Kwafika isixuku esasithukuthele sabahudulela emakethe ukuze baquliswe icala. Izimpahla zabo zadatshulwa base bebhaxabulwa ngezinduku. (IzE. 16:16-22) Okubi nakakhulu ukuthi njengoba uPawulu ayeyisakhamuzi saseRoma, icala lakhe kwakufanele liqulwe ngendlela efanele. *

² Njengoba uPawulu ehleli ebumnyameni, ucabanga ngezinto ezazenzeke ngalolo suku. Ucabanga ngabantu baseFilipi. Phela idolobha laseFilipi lalingenawo amasinagoge amaJuda, ngokungefani namadolobha amaningi uPawulu ake aya kuwo. Empeleni, abakhulekeli abangamaJuda babehlangana ngaphandle kwamasango edolobha eduze komfula. (IzE. 16:13, 14) Kungenzeka ukuthi lokhu kwakubangelwa ukuthi abesilisa  abangamaJuda babengafiki naseshumini, okuyinani elalidingeka ukuze kwakhiwe isinagoge. Abantu baseFilipi babeziqhenya kakhulu ngokuba izakhamuzi zaseRoma. (IzE. 16:21) Ingabe lokhu kungaba isizathu esabangela ukuba benqabe ukwamukela ukuthi la maJuda, uPawulu noSila, angaba izakhamuzi zaseRoma? Kunoma ngabe yikuphi, uPawulu noSila bavalelwa ejele ngokungafanele.

3. Yini eyayingadida uPawulu ngokuboshwa kwakhe; noma kunjalo wasabela kanjani?

³ Kungenzeka uPawulu ucabanga nangezinto ezenzeke ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ezidlule. Wayengaphesheya koLwandle i-Aegean, e-Asia Minor. Ngesikhathi elapho, umoya ongcwele wawulokhu umvimba ukuze angashumayeli ezindaweni ezithile. Kwakunjengokungathi umoya ongcwele wawumholela kwenye indawo. (IzE. 16:6, 7) Kuphi? Impendulo wayithola embonweni ngesikhathi eseTrowa. Kwathiwa kuPawulu: “Welela eMakedoniya.” Ekubona ngokucacile okwakuyintando kaJehova, ngokushesha uPawulu wasamukela isimemo. (Funda izEnzo 16:8-10.) Kwabe sekwenzekani? Ngokushesha nje ngemva kokufika eMakedoniya, waboshwa. Kungani uJehova avumela ukuba lokhu kwenzeke kuPawulu? Wayezoboshwa isikhathi esingakanani? Ngisho noma le mibuzo yayimhlupha uPawulu akazange ayivumele iqede ukholo nenjabulo yakhe. Yena noSila baqala ‘ukuthandaza futhi badumisa uNkulunkulu ngengoma.’ (IzE. 16:25) Izinhliziyo nezingqondo zabo zaba nokuthula kukaNkulunkulu.

4, 5. (a) Isimo sethu singafana kanjani nesikaPawulu? (b) Isimo sikaPawulu sashintsha kanjani kungazelelwe?

⁴ NjengoPawulu, kungenzeka ukuthi ekuphileni kwakho wake wacabanga ukuthi uqondiswa umoya kaNkulunkulu ongcwele kodwa izinto zangahamba ngendlela obuyilindele. Waba nezinkinga noma kwenzeka izinto ezashintsha ukuphila kwakho. (UmSh. 9:11) Njengoba ucabanga ngokwenzeka mhlawumbe uyazibuza ukuthi kungani uJehova avumela ukuba lezo zinto zenzeke. Uma kunjalo, yini engakusiza ukuba uqhubeke ukhuthazela futhi umethembe ngokuphelele uJehova? Ukuze sithole impendulo ake siqhubeke nendaba kaPawulu noSila.

⁵ Njengoba uPawulu noSila becula izingoma bedumisa, kwaba nochungechunge lwezenzakalo ezazingalindelekile. Kungazelelwe, kwazamazama umhlaba. Iminyango yasejele yavuleka. Zonke izinto okwakuboshwe ngazo iziboshwa zaqhaqheka. UPawulu wavimba umqaphi ukuba angazibulali. Umqaphi nomndeni wakhe wonke babhapathizwa. Ekuseni, izimantshi zathi uPawulu noSila abakhululwe. Iziphathimandla zathi mabahambe kulelo dolobha ngokuthula. Ziqaphela ukuthi uPawulu noSila bayizakhamuzi zaseRoma, izimantshi zabona ukuthi zazenze iphutha elikhulu, ngakho zeza zabaphelezela. Kodwa uPawulu noSila bacela ukuvalelisa kuqala kuLidiya owayesanda kubhapathizwa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, basebenzisa lelo thuba ukuze baqinise abafowabo. (IzE. 16:26-40) Ngempela izinto zashintsha ngokushesha!

6. Sizoxoxa ngani manje?

⁶ Sifundani kulokhu kulandisa? Sifunda ukuthi uJehova angenza esingakulindele, ngakho akudingeki sikhathazeke lapho sibhekene nezinkinga. Ngokungangabazeki lesi kwaba isifundo esibalulekile kuPawulu, njengoba sibona kulokho akubhalela abafowabo baseFilipi  ngokukhathazeka nokuthula kukaNkulunkulu. Ake siqale sixoxe ngalokho uPawulu akusho encwadini yabaseFilipi 4:6, 7. (Funda.) Ngemva kwalokho, sizobe sesixoxa ngezinye izibonelo eziseBhayibhelini zendlela uJehova enza ngayo okungalindelekile. Ekugcineni, sizoxoxa ngendlela “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” okungasisiza ngayo sikhuthazele futhi sithembele ngokuphelele kuJehova.

7. Yisiphi isifundo uPawulu asiveza lapho ebhalela abafowabo baseFilipi incwadi futhi singafundani kuyo?

⁷ Ngokuqinisekile lapho abafowabo baseFilipi befunda incwadi uPawulu ayebabhalele yona, bakukhumbula okwakwenzeke kuye nendlela engalindelekile uJehova amkhulula ngayo. Yisiphi isifundo uPawulu ayefuna basifunde? Wayebafundisa ukuthi bangakhathazeki. Bathandaze, ngemva kwalokho babezothola ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu. Kodwa qaphela, ‘ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu kudlula konke ukucabanga.’ Kusho ukuthini lokhu? Abanye abahumushi baye bahumusha le nkulumo ngokuthi “okudlula wonke amaphupho ethu” noma “okudlula konke ukuhlela komuntu.” Empeleni, uPawulu wayethi ‘ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu’ kungaphezu kwalokho esingakucabanga. Ngakho, nakuba ngokombono womuntu singase singaboni ukuthi singaphuma kanjani enkingeni ethile, uJehova uyabona futhi angenza esingakulindele.​—Funda eyesi-2 Petru 2:9.

8, 9. (a) Nakuba uPawulu abhekana nokungabi ngabulungisa eFilipi, yimiphi imiphumela eyaba khona ngenxa yalokho? (b) Kungani abazalwane baseFilipi babheka amazwi kaPawulu njengabalulekile?

⁸ Ngisho nangemva kweminyaka eyishumi, kwakubaqinisa abazalwane baseFilipi ukucabanga ngezinto ezenzeka kuPawulu noSila. Lokho uPawulu akubhala kwakuyiqiniso. Nakuba uJehova avumela ukuba baphathwe ngendlela engenabulungisa, lokho kwaholela ‘ekuvikelweni nasekumisweni ngokomthetho kwezindaba ezinhle.’ (Fil. 1:7) Manje lezo zimantshi zase zizocabangisisa ngaphambi kokwenza noma yini emelene nebandla lobuKristu elalisanda kumiswa kulelo dolobha. Mhlawumbe ngenxa yezenzo zikaPawulu, uLuka owayengudokotela futhi ehamba noPawulu wakwazi ukusala eFilipi ngemva kokuba uPawulu noSila behambile. ULuka wabe esesiza ibandla elisha kulelo dolobha.

⁹ Lapho labo bazalwane baseFilipi befunda incwadi kaPawulu, babazi ukuthi lawo kwakungewona amazwi esifundiswa esibhala sisehhovisi. UPawulu wayebhekane nobunzima obukhulu noma kunjalo wabonisa ukuthi ‘wayenokuthula kukaNkulunkulu.’ Empeleni, lapho uPawulu ebhalela labo bazalwane wayeboshelwe endlini eRoma. Kodwa wayesabonisa ukuthi unakho “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu.”​—Fil. 1:12-14; 4:7, 11, 22.

10, 11. Yini okumelwe siyenze lapho sikhathazekile futhi yini esingayilindela?

¹⁰ Yini engasisiza singakhathazeki ngalutho futhi sibe ‘nokuthula kukaNkulunkulu’? Incwadi kaPawulu ayibhalela abaseFilipi isibonisa ukuthi ukuthandaza kuqeda ukukhathazeka. Ngakho lapho sikhathazekile kudingeka sithandaze. (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 5:6, 7.) Thandaza kuJehova uqiniseke ngokuthi uyakukhathalela. Emthandazweni wakho mbonge ngezinto akubusise ngazo. Ukholo lwethu luyoqina lapho sikhumbula ukuthi angenza “okungaphezu kakhulu kwazo zonke izinto esizicelayo noma esizicabangelayo.”​—Efe. 3:20.

 ¹¹ Njengoba kwenzeka kuPawulu nakuSila zingase zisimangaze izinto uJehova angasenzela zona. Kungase kungabi yisimangaliso kodwa uyohlale esinika lokho esikudingayo. (1 Kor. 10:13) Lokhu akusho ukuthi sekufanele sizithele ngabandayo silindele ukuthi uJehova alungise isimo noma inkinga esibhekene nayo. Kufanele senze ngokuvumelana nemithandazo yethu. (Roma 12:11) Izenzo zethu ziyobonisa ukuthi siqotho futhi zinikeze uJehova isizathu sokuba asibusise. Kodwa ngesikhathi esifanayo, kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi uJehova angenza okungaphezu kwezinto esizicelayo, esizicabangayo nesizilindele. Ngezinye izikhathi uvele asimangaze enze izinto ebesingazilindele. Ake sixoxe ngezindaba eziseBhayibhelini ezingasenza siqiniseke nakakhulu ngokuthi uJehova unamandla okwenza izinto esingazilindele.

12. (a) INkosi uHezekiya yenzenjani lapho isongelwa uSaneheribi inkosi yase-Asiriya? (b) Sifundani endleleni uJehova amsiza ngayo?

¹² Njengoba sifunda iBhayibheli, sihlale sithola izibonelo lapho uJehova enza khona okungalindelekile. Ngesikhathi kubusa iNkosi uHezekiya, uSaneheribi, inkosi yase-Asiriya, wahlasela uJuda wathumba wonke amadolobha anezivikelo eziqinile, ngaphandle kweJerusalema. (2 AmaKh. 18:1-3, 13) USaneheribi wabe esesongela iJerusalema. INkosi uHezekiya yenzenjani lapho isongelwa? Yathandaza kuJehova, yafuna iseluleko ku-Isaya umprofethi kaNkulunkulu. (2 AmaKh. 19:5, 15-20) UHezekiya wazama nokushweleza ngokukhokha inhlawulo eyayifunwa uSaneheribi. (2 AmaKh. 18:14, 15) Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, wenza amalungiselelo okuvikela idolobha. (2 IziKr. 32:2-4) Kwabe sekwenzekani? UJehova wathumela ingelosi ukuba ibulale amasosha kaSaneheribi angu-185 000 ngobusuku obubodwa. Ngempela, ngisho noHezekiya wayengakulindele lokho!​—2 AmaKh. 19:35.

13. (a) Sifundani kulokho okwenzeka kuJosefa? (b) Yini eyenzeka kuSara umka-Abrahama eyayingalindelekile?

¹³ Cabanga ngendodana kaJakobe, uJosefa. Ngesikhathi esejele eGibhithe, ingabe uJosefa wake wakucabanga ukuthi wayeyoba undunankulu kulelo zwe noma ukuthi uJehova wayeyomsebenzisa ukuba asindise umndeni wakhe endlaleni? (Gen. 40:15; 41:39-43; 50:20) Kusobala ukuthi izenzo zikaJehova zazingaphezu kwalokho uJosefa ayekulindele. Cabanga nangoSara ukhokho kaJosefa. Ingabe uSara owayesekhulile wayelindele ukuthi uJehova uzomenza azale eyakhe indodana, hhayi indodana ayizalelwe incekukazi yakhe? Ngokuqinisekile uSara wamangala lapho ezala u-Isaka.​—Gen. 21:1-3, 6, 7.

14. Yini esingaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova angasenzela yona?

 ¹⁴ Kuyavunywa ukuthi asilindele ukuba uJehova asuse zonke izinkinga zethu ngokuyisimangaliso kulesi sikhathi esiphila kuso futhi asilindele ukuthi kwenzeke izinto ezingaphezu kokuvamile ekuphileni kwethu. Kodwa siyazi ukuthi uNkulunkulu owasiza izinceku zakhe ngendlela emangalisayo nguJehova uNkulunkulu wethu. (Funda u-Isaya 43:10-13.) Ukwazi lokhu kusenza sibe nokholo kuye. Siyazi ukuthi angenza noma yini edingekayo ukuze asinike amandla okufeza injongo yakhe ngokugcwele. (2 Kor. 4:7-9) Sifundani kulezi zindaba eziseBhayibhelini? Sifunda ukuthi njengoba uJehova asiza uHezekiya, uJosefa noSara, nathi angasisiza sinqobe izinkinga ezibonakala zingaphezu kwamandla uma sihlala siqotho kuYe.

15. Yini ezosisiza singalahlekelwa “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” futhi lokhu kwenzeka kanjani?

¹⁵ Singabhekana kanjani nezinkinga kodwa singalahlekelwa “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu”? Ngokuba nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu wethu uJehova. Lobo buhlobo sikwazi ukuba nabo kuphela “ngoKristu Jesu,” owanikela ngokuphila kwakhe njengomhlatshelo wesihlengo. Ilungiselelo lesihlengo lingenye yezinto ezimangalisayo ezenziwe uBaba wethu. UJehova usebenzisa isihlengo ukuze asuse izono zethu, asenze sibe nonembeza omsulwa futhi sisondelane naye.​—Joh. 14:6; Jak. 4:8; 1 Pet. 3:21.

16. Uba yini umphumela lapho siba ‘nokuthula kukaNkulunkulu’? Fanekisa.

¹⁶ Uba yini umphumela lapho siba ‘nokuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga’? ImiBhalo ithi kuyoqapha izinhliziyo nokucabanga kwethu ngoKristu Jesu. (Fil. 4:7) Endulo igama elithi qapha noma umqaphi lalisetsheziswa kwezempi. Lalisho amasosha ayenikwa umsebenzi wokuqapha amadolobha anezivikelo eziqinile. Lalinjalo idolobha laseFilipi. Abantu baseFilipi babelala ngokuthula ebusuku, bazi ukuthi kunamasosha ayeqaphe amasango edolobha. Ngendlela efanayo, lapho siba ‘nokuthula kukaNkulunkulu,’ izinhliziyo nezingqondo zethu ziba nokuthula. Siyazi ukuthi uJehova uyasithanda futhi ufuna siphumelele. (1 Pet. 5:10) Ukwazi lokho kuyasivikela singakhathazeki ngokweqile noma sidumazeke.

17. Yini engasisiza singakhathazeki ngekusasa?

¹⁷ Maduze abantu bazobhekana nosizi olukhulu olungakaze lube khona. (Math. 24:21, 22) Asazi ukuthi umuntu ngamunye uyobhekana nani. Noma kunjalo, asikho isidingo sokukhathazeka ngokweqile. Ngisho noma singakwazi konke uJehova azokwenza kodwa siyamazi uNkulunkulu wethu. Sibonile endleleni asebenzelana ngayo nezinceku zakhe zasendulo ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, uJehova ngeke ahluleke ukufeza injongo yakhe futhi ngezinye izikhathi uyifeza ngendlela engalindelekile. Njalo lapho uJehova esenzela okuthile esingakulindele sizwa “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu okudlula konke ukucabanga.”