1, 2. (a) Sithabela kuphi ukuthula njenganje? (b) Yini esikhandela bona singafumani ukuthula okupheleleko namhlanjesi? (Qala isithombe esisekuthomeni.)

SOKE sifuna ukuba nokuthula, kungabi nento esigandelelako emkhumbulweni. Kuyasithokozisa ukuthi uJehova usinikela “ukuthula” kwangaphakathi, okusivikela emicabangweni emimbi negandelelako. (Flp. 4:6, 7) Okhunye okusinikela “ukuthula kwakaZimu” kuzinikela kwethu kuye nokuba nobuhlobo obuhle naye.​—Rom. 5:1.

² Iqiniso kukuthi asikafiki isikhathi lapho uZimu azokuletha ukuthula kwamambala. Amalanga amambi esiphila ngaphasi kwawo la azele ukungazwani begodu abantu abanengi bathanda ukuphikisana. (2 Thim. 3:1-4) Thina amaKrestu kufuze silwe noSathana neemfundiso zakhe. (2 Kor. 10:4, 5) Inaba lokukholwa kwethu kungaba ziinhlobo zethu ezingasi boFakazi bakaJehova. Ezinye iinhlobo zethu zingase zihlekise ngathi, zithi batjho siphadlhula umndenethu phakathi, zingabe zithi angeze zisasithatha njengomndenazo nasingaphiki ukukholwa kwethu. Kufuze sikuqala njani ukuphikiswa mndenethu? Singaqalana njani ngokuphumelelako neentjhijilo eziza nokuphikiswa mndenethu?

3, 4. (a) Umlayezo kaJesu ubathinta njani abantu? (b) Kunini lapho kusitjhijilo khulu ukulandela uJesu?

³ UJesu bekazi ukuthi ifundiswakhe izokuphadlhula abantu phakathi nokuthi labo abakhetha ukumlandela kufuze babe nesibindi bona bakghone ukuqalana nokuphikiswa. Ukuphikiswokhu kungaqeda ukuthula emndenini. UJesu wathi: “Ningadlumbani bona ngilethe ukuthula ephasinapha. Awa, angikalethi ukuthula, kodwana ngilethe isabula. Ngize bona ngizokuraranisa indodana noyise, indodakazi nonina, umalukazana nonosokana. Izitha ezikulu zomuntu izaba ngebekhabo.”​—Mat. 10:34-36.

⁴ UJesu nakathi: “Ningadlumbani bona ngilethe ukuthula ephasinapha,” bekatjho ukuthi abanye babalandeli bakhe bekutlhogeka bacabangisise ngeentjhijilo ezizokuza nokumlandela. Umlayezwakhe bekungenzeka uhlukanise abantu phakathi. Ihloso kaJesu yokutjhumayela umlayezo kaZimu bekungasi kubaphandlhula abantu phakathi. (Jwa. 18:37) Kodwana nanyana kunjalo ukubambelela eemfundisweni zakaKrestu khibe ngapha abangani neenhlobo zakho azilifuni iqiniso leBhayibheli, kungabanga imiguruguru.

5. Yini abalandeli bakaJesu abaqalana nayo?

⁵ UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe bazokuqalana nobuhlungu bokuphikiswa mndenabo begodu kufuze bakulungela ukukubekezelela lokho. (Mat. 10:38) Abalandeli nabazakutjengisa ukuthi bayamfanelekela uKrestu bekufuze babekezelele ukutjhutjhiswa nokungaphathwa kuhle mindenabo. Nanyana kunjalo, abakuzuzako kwadlula abakulobako.​—Funda uMarkosi 10:29, 30.

6. Yini ekufuze siyikhumbule iinhlobo zethu naziphikisana nemizamwethu yokulotjha uJehova?

⁶ Ngezinye iinkhathi iinhlobo zethu zinyefula imizamo esiyenzako bona silotjhe uJehova kodwana thina siragela phambili sizithanda, nanyana kunjalo ekufuze sihlale sikukhumbula kukuthi ithando lethu ngoZimu noKrestu kufuze lize qangi. (Mat. 10:37) Okhunye ekufuze sikutjheje kukuthi uSathana uzokusebenzisa indlela esithanda ngayo imindenethu bona asenze singathembeki kuZimu. Okwanje akhesibone ubujamo obubandakanya ukuphikiswa mndeni, sibone nokuthi singaqalana njani nobujamobo ngokuphumelelako.

7. Abantu abatjhade nabalingani abangakholwako kufuze babuqale njani ubujamo abakibo?

⁷ IBhayibheli lithi ebantwini abatjhadako ‘bazokuqalana nemiraro eminengi epilweni.’ (1 Kor. 7:28) Nawunomlingani ongakholwako ungaba nemiraro nokugandeleleka okudlula okuvamileko. Kodwana nanyana kunjalo kuqakathekile ukuthi uqale ubujamo bakho njengombana uJehova abuqala. Ukuthi umlinganakho akakazimiseli ukulandela uKrestu leso akusisizathu esingakwenza uthi ufuna ukumtlhala. (1 Kor. 7:12-16) Ngitjho nanyana ubabakwakho angadosi phambili ekwenzeni izinto zakaZimu kodwana kufuze umhloniphe ngombana uyihloko yomndenakho. Kuyafana nangendoda etjhade umma ongakholwako nayo kufuze imthande ngokusuka ehliziyweni.​—Efe. 5:22, 23, 28, 29.

8. Ngimiphi imibuzo esingazibuza yona nangabe umuntu esitjhade naye ufuna ukulawula indlela esilotjha ngayo uJehova?

⁸ Alo kuthiwani nangabe umuntu otjhade naye ufuna ukulawula indlela olotjha ngayo uJehova? Ngokwesibonelo, omunye udade ubabakwakhe wathi angayi esimini amalanga athileko evekeni. Nakwenzeka uqalane nobujamo obufanako, ungazibuza nasi imibuzo: ‘Inga kghani umuntu engitjhade naye uyangikhandela na bona ngilotjhe uZimami? Nakungasi njalo, akusingcono ukuthi ngenze ngokuya ngokwesibawo sakhe na?’ Ukumcabangela kungakhandela ukuphikisana.​—Flp. 4:5.

9. Ababelethi bangabafundisa njani abantwana bona bahloniphe umbelethi ongakholwako?

 ⁹ Ukubandula abantwana kungaba budisi khulu nangabe sitjhade nomuntu ongakholwako. Ngokwesibonelo, kufuze ukufundise abantwana bakho ukuthi balalele naku umyalo weBhayibheli: “Thobelani ababelethi benu.” (Efe. 6:1-3) Kodwana kuzokuthiwani-ke nangabe umlinganakho akaphili ngeenkambiso zeBhayibheli? Wena kufuze ube sibonelo sokuzithoba emuntwini otjhade naye. Dzimelela ezintweni ezihle azenzako, yenze ibonakale indlela omthokoza ngayo. Akukafuzi utjho izinto ezingakhiko kumlinganakho hlanu kwabantwabenu. Kunokwenza njalo bafundise ukuthi woke umuntu kufuze azikhethele yena ukulotjha uJehova. Ukuziphatha kuhle kwabantwabenu kungadosela umlingani ongakholwako ekulotjheni kweqiniso.

10. Ababelethi abamaKrestu kodwana abanomndeni ohlukene ngokwekolo, bangabafundisa njani abantwana babo iqiniso leBhayibheli?

¹⁰ Ngezinye iinkhathi umlingani ongakholwako kungenzeka afune ukuthi abantwana bahlanganyele emigidini engamhloniphiko uJehova namkha afune ukubafundisa ikolo yamala. Amanye amadoda angakholwako angase alele abomkabo abamaKrestu ukuthi bafundise abantwababo iBhayibheli. Nalapho umma omKrestu angenza okusemandlenakhe bona afundise abantwana bakhe iqiniso leBhayibheli. (IzE. 16:1; 2 Thim. 3:14, 15) Ngokwesibonelo, udade omKrestu otjhade nendoda engakholwako, kungenzeka indoda le ingavumeli umma wakwayo afundele abantwababo iBhayibheli namkha yale bona akhambe nabo esifundweni. Kufuze ahloniphe ubabakwakhe kodwana ubujamo nabuvumako angakhuluma ngokukholwa kwakhe nabantwana, abafundise ukuziphatha  nokwazi uJehova. (IzE. 4:19, 20) Ekugcineni abantwanabo ngibo okufuze bakhethe ukuthi bafuna ukulotjha uJehova namkha awa.​—Dut. 30:19, 20. *

11. Yini engabanga irawurawu phakathi kwakho neenhlobo zakho ezingasi boFakazi?

¹¹ Kungenzeka ekuthomeni besingazitjeli iinhlobo zethu ukuthi sivakatjhelana naboFakazi bakaJehova. Njengobana ukukholwa kwethu kukhula, sabona itlhogakalo yokuthi sizitjele ngokukholwa kwethu. (Mar. 8:38) Nangabe ukutjela iinhlobo zakho ezingasi boFakazi ngokukholwa kwakho kubange irawurawu phakathi kwakho nabo, naka amagadango ongawathatha bona uphungule ukungazwani khibe ngesikhathi esifanako uthembekile kuJehova.

12. Yini engabangela iinhlobo ezingakholwako bona ziphikisane nathi ngokukholwa kwethu? Thina singalinga njani ukuzizwisisa?

¹² Linga ukuzizwisisa iinhlobo zakho ezingakholwako. Njengombana sizabe sithatjiswe kufunda amaqiniso aseBhayibhelini, iinhlobo zethu zona kungenzeka zicabange ukuthi sidlelezelwe namkha sesizokuba babantu abahlukileko. Kungenzeka zicabange ukuthi asisazithandi ngebanga lokuthi asisazithabisi nazo ngamaholideyi. Zingaze zitshwenyeke nangehlalakuhle yethu. Kufuze silinge ukuzwisisa sizwelane nazo kilokho, kufuze sizilalelisise sizwe ukuthi kuhlekuhle zitshwenywa yini. (IzA. 20:5) Umpostoli uPowula bekalinga ukuzwisisa boke ‘abantu’ ukwenzela bona akghona ukwabelana nabo iindaba ezimnandi, nathi ukwenza njalo kungasisiza tle!​—1 Kor. 9:19-23.

13. Kufuze sikhulume njani neenhlobo zethu ezingakholwako?

¹³ Iba nomusa nawukhuluma nazo. “Ikulumo yenu ayibe nomusa njalo.” (Kol. 4:6) Kufuze sibawe ummoya ocwengileko kaJehova bona sibe neenthelo zawo nasikhuluma neenhlobo zethu. Akukafuzi sifune ukuphikisa koke ikolwabo yamala ekwenzako. Nakwenzeka basizwise ubuhlungu ngabakutjhoko namkha abakwenzako, singalingisa isibonelo sabapostoli. UPowula watlola wathi: “Nasithukiwako siyabusisa; nasizunywako siyakubekezelela lokho; nasiphudlhelwako siphendula ngokuthobeka.”​—1 Kor. 4:12, 13.

14. Kuzosizuzisa ngani ukuziphatha kuhle?

¹⁴ Kufuze siziphathe kuhle. Kuliqiniso ukuthi ukukhuluma ngomusa kuyasiza nasikhuluma neenhlobo zethu ezingakholwako kodwana nasiziphethe kuhle zingasizakala khulu. (Funda 1 Pitrosi 3:1, 2, 16.) Tjengisa iinhlobo zakho ukuthi aboFakazi bakaJehova bathabela imitjhado enokuthula, batlhogomela kuhle abantwana begodu baphila ipilo ecwengileko, enokuziphatha okucwengekileko kunye nepilo enomnqopho. Ngitjho nanyana iinhlobo zethu zingekhe zamukele iqiniso, kufuze sithatjiswe kuthabisa uJehova ngokuthembeka kwethu.

15. Singakuhlela njani ukukhandela ukungazwani?

¹⁵ Hlela kusese ngaphambili. Cabanga ngezinto ezingabangela ukuthi ningazwani bese uyahlela ukuthi uzokwenza njani. (IzA. 12:16, 23) Udade we-Australia uthi: “Usosokanami bekangalifuni kumbi iqiniso. Yeke ngaphambi kobana siyomhlola bona uraga njani, sinobabakwami besithandaza sibawe uJehova asisize sibe nomusa nasikhuluma naye. Besihlela kuthi sizokukhuluma ngani ukwenzela bona siphethe ikulumwethu soke sithabile. Nasizakubalekela iinkulumo ezide ezingagqina ngokuphikisana ngezekolo, besihlela ukungahlali isikhathi eside.”

16. Ungalwisana njani nokuzizwa kabuhlungu ngokungathabisi iinhlobo zakho?

¹⁶ Iqiniso kukuthi angeze wakubalekela koke ukuphikisana okuza neenhlobo  ezingakholwako. Ukuphikisanakho kungakwenza uzizwe unomlandu, ngombana uyazithanda iinhlobo zakho begodu ufuna zithabe. Nawuzizwa njalo kufuze ulwe ngamandla bona ukuthembeka kwakho kuZimu kuze qangi kunethando lomndenakho. Nasenza njalo iinhlobo zethu zingabona ukuthi ukulalela iinkambiso zeBhayibheli kuqakatheke khulu kithi. Ekufuze sihlala sikukhumbula kukuthi angeze sakatelela muntu bona amukele iqiniso. Kodwana kufuze zibone kuwe ukuthi ukuphila ngendlela uJehova afuna siphile ngayo kuzuzisa ngani. UZimethu onethando ufuna ukubanikela lokho asinikele khona thina, ithuba lokukhetha ukuthi zifuna ukumlalela namkha awa.​—Isa. 48:17, 18.

17, 18. Yini engakusiza nakwenzeka ilungu lomndenakho lisukela uJehova?

¹⁷ Ilungu lomndeni nalisusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni namkha likhethe ukungasazihlanganisi nebandla kuba buhlungu khulu, ngasuthi uhlahlelwe ngomkhonto ehliziyweni. Ungaqalana njani ngokuphumelelako nobuhlungobo?

¹⁸ Ragela phambili wenza izinto ezandisa ithando lakho ngoZimu. Zakhe ngokuthi ufunde iBhayibheli qobe, lungiselela kuhle uye esifundweni, iya esimini, thandaza ukuthi uZimu akuphe amandla wokukgodlhelela. (Jud. 20, 21) Kuthiwani nangabe izintwezo zoke njalo uyazenza kodwana ihliziywakho yona ase ayikho lapho? Ungalahli itewu! Ukuzenza qobe izintwezi kuzokusiza ukghone ukulawula imicabangwakho nendlela ozizwa ngayo. Cabanga ngokwavelela umrhubi owatlola Irhubo 73. Bekangaqali izinto ngendlela kaJehova begodu lokho bekumlimaza tle! Nokho wakghona ukulungisa umbonwakhe nakaya endlini kaZimu yokukhulekela. (Rhu. 73:16, 17) Ukulotjha kwakho uJehova ngokuthembeka nawe kungakusiza ngendlela efanako.

19. Ungatjengisa njani ukuthi uyayihlonipha indlela uJehova akhalimela ngayo abantu?

¹⁹ Hlonipha indlela uJehova akhalimela ngayo abantu. Ilungiselelo lakaJehova lingaletha umphumela omuhle wesikhathi esizako wabo boke abantu kuhlanganise ngitjho naye umenzi wobumbi, nanyana lokho kungaba buhlungu. (Funda beHebheru 12:11.) Ngokwesibonelo, uJehova usiyala ukuthi ‘singahlanganyeli’ nabantu abona bangaphenduki. (1 Kor. 5:11-13) Lokho kungaba buhlungu ukukwenza kodwana kufuze singahlanganyeli ngokunganasidingo nelunga lomndeni elisusiweko ekuhlanganyeleni, singalifowuneli, singalitloleli umlayezo, iletha, i-email namkha sithintane nalo nanyana kungaba ngayiphi indlela.

20. Ngiliphi ithemba ekufuze ubenalo?

²⁰ Ungalahli itewu. Ithando “likholwa yoke into,” lokho kuhlanganisa nokukholwa ukuthi labo abasukele uJehova bazokubuyela kuye. (1 Kor. 13:7) Nawunobufakazi bokuthi ilunga lomndeni elisusiweko ekuhlanganyeleni izenzo zalo ziyatjhuguluka, ungalithandazela bona lifumane amandla emiTlolweni belilalele uJehova nakathi: “Buyela kimi.”​—Isa. 44:22.

21. Yini okufuze uyenze izinto nazingakhambi kuhle emndenini ngebanga lokuthi umlandeli kaJesu?

²¹ UJesu wathi nasingabeka nanyana ngubani phambi kwakhe, asikamlungeli. Kodwana bekanethemba lokuthi abalandeli bakhe bazokuba nesibindi, bathembeke kuye ngaphezu kokuphikiswa mindenabo. Nakungenzeka ukuthi ukulandela uJesu kukulethele “isabula” emndeninakho, beka ithemba lakho kuJehova ukholwe ukuthi uzokusiza uqalane neentjhijilwezo ngokuphumelelako. (Isa. 41:10, 13) Akukuthabise ukwazi ukuthi uJehova noJesu bayathaba nawuthembekako kibo begodu bazokubusisa.