1, 2. (a) Yini esingayifunda ekukhuthazeleni kukaGideyoni namadoda angu-300 ayekanye naye? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.) (b) NgokukaLuka 21:19, kungani ukukhuthazela kubaluleke kangaka?

ZAMA ukubona ngeso lengqondo impi enzima nekhathazayo eyayiphakathi kwamasosha akwa-Israyeli nezitha zawo. Amasosha akwa-Israyeli ayeholwa uMahluleli uGideyoni. Yena nebutho lakhe babajaha ubusuku bonke abakwaMidiyani nezizwe ezazakhe umfelandawonye nabo, cishe ibanga elingamakhilomitha angu-32! IBhayibheli lisitshela ngalokho okwalandela: “UGideyoni wafika eJordani, waliwela, yena namadoda angamakhulu amathathu ayekanye naye, bekhathele.” Kodwa babengakayinqobi impi, futhi kwakusadingeka balwe namasosha angu-15 000. Lezi zitha zazigqilaze ama-Israyeli iminyaka eminingi, ngakho babengenakuyeka ukuzijaha. Ngakho-ke, uGideyoni nebutho lakhe baqhubeka nokujaha izitha zabo baze bagcina bezinqobile!—AbaHluleli 7:22; 8:4, 10, 28.

² Nathi silwa impi enzima nekhathazayo. Izitha zethu zihlanganisa uSathane, izwe lakhe kanye nokungapheleli kwethu. Abanye bethu sebeneminyaka eminingi belwa nalezi zitha.  Ngosizo lukaJehova, sesinqobe izimpi eziningi. Noma kunjalo, asikayinqobi impi yokugcina. Ngezinye izikhathi singase sikhathale ukulwa. Noma singase sikhathale ukulinda ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi. UJesu waxwayisa ngokuthi sasiyobhekana novivinyo olunzima kanye nokushushiswa okunonya phakathi nezinsuku zokugcina. Kodwa futhi wathi uma sikhuthazela, singanqoba. (Funda uLuka 21:19.) Kuyini ukukhuthazela? Yini ezosisiza sikhuthazele? Yini esingayifunda kulabo abaye bakhuthazela? Futhi ‘singakuvumela kanjani ukukhuthazela kuphelelise umsebenzi wako’?—Jakobe 1:4.

3. Kuyini ukukhuthazela?

³ EBhayibhelini, ukukhuthazela kusho okungaphezu kokumane ubekezelele isimo esinzima. Kuhilela indlela esicabanga ngayo nesizizwa ngayo ngovivinyo esibhekene nalo. Ukukhuthazela kusisiza ukuba sibe nesibindi, sethembeke futhi sibe nesineke. Enye incwadi ithi ukukhuthazela yimfanelo esisiza sibe nethemba eliqinile futhi singayeki lapho sibhekene novivinyo. Kusisiza ukuba sihlale siqinile futhi singanyakaziswa ngisho nalapho sibhekene novivinyo olukhulu kakhulu. Futhi kusenza sikwazi ukuguqula lolo vivinyo lube ukunqoba nokuba sigxile emgomweni wethu, hhayi ebuhlungwini esibuzwayo.

4. Kungani singathi ukukhuthazela kushukunyiswa uthando?

⁴ Uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sikhuthazele. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 13:4, 7.) Sikhuthazelele ini? Uthando lwethu ngoJehova lusishukumisela ukuba sikhuthazelele noma yini ayivumelayo. (Luka 22:41, 42) Uthando lwethu ngabafowethu lusisiza ukuba sikhuthazelele ukungapheleli kwabo. (1 Petru 4:8) Uthando lwethu ngesishade nabo lusisiza ukuba sikhuthazelele ‘usizi’ ngisho nabantu abajabule emishadweni yabo ababhekana nalo, lusisize nokuba siqinise imishado yethu.—1 Korinte 7:28.

5. Kungani kunguJehova okufanelekela kangcono ukusisiza sikhuthazele?

⁵ Cela amandla kuJehova. UJehova ‘unguNkulunkulu onika ukukhuthazela nenduduzo.’ (Roma 15:5) Nguye kuphela osiqonda kahle isimo esibhekene naso, imizwa yethu nesizinda sethu. Ngakho wazi kahle ukuthi yini esiyidingayo ukuze sikhuthazele. IBhayibheli lithi: ‘Wanelisa isifiso sabo bonke abamesabayo, nokukhalela kwabo usizo uyakuzwa, abasindise.’ (IHubo 145:19) Kodwa uNkulunkulu uzoyiphendula kanjani imithandazo yethu yokucela amandla okukhuthazela?

6. Njengoba iBhayibheli lithembisa, uJehova angase ‘asenzele kanjani indlela yokuphuma’ ovivinyweni?

⁶ Lapho sicela uJehova ukuba asisize sikhuthazele, uthembisa ukuthi ‘uyokwenza indlela yokuphuma.’ (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 10:13.) Ukwenza kanjani lokho? Ngezinye izikhathi, angase alususe uvivinyo. Kodwa ezimweni eziningi, uyosinika amandla ukuze ‘sikhuthazele ngokugcwele futhi sibekezele ngenjabulo.’  (Kolose 1:11) Kanti ngenxa yokuthi uJehova ukwazi kahle ukulinganiselwa kwethu ngokomzimba, ngokwengqondo nangokomzwelo, akasoze avumela isimo ukuba sibe nzima kangangokuba size sehluleke ukuhlala sithembekile.

7. Bonisa ukuthi kungani sidinga ukudla okungokomoya ukuze sikhuthazele.

⁷ Vumela ukudla okungokomoya kuqinise ukholo lwakho. Kungani ukudla okungokomoya kubalulekile? Ake sifanekise: Ukuze umuntu aqwale iNtaba i-Everest, usuku ngalunye kungadingeka adle ukudla ngokuvamile abeyokudla ngezinsuku ezintathu noma ezine. Ngokufanayo, sidinga ukudla okuningi okungokomoya ukuze sikhuthazele futhi sifinyelele umgomo wethu. Kumelwe sizimisele ukuchitha isikhathi esiningi esifundweni somuntu siqu nasemihlanganweni yethu. Lokhu kuyosinika lokho esikudingayo ukuze sigcine ukholo lwethu luqinile.—Johane 6:27.

8, 9. (a) NgokukaJobe 2:4, 5, yini esuke ihilelekile lapho sibhekene novivinyo? (b) Lapho ubhekene novivinyo, yini ongase ucabange ngayo?

⁸ Khumbula ubuqotho bakho kuNkulunkulu. Lapho sibhekene novivinyo, kusuke kunokuningi okuhilelekile kunokuhlupheka kwethu. Ubuqotho bethu kuNkulunkulu busuke buvivinywa. Indlela esisabela ngayo ovivinyweni yembula ukuthi uJehova simbheka njengoMbusi wendawo yonke yini noma cha. Kanjani? USathane, isitha sikaNkulunkulu esimelene nokubusa kwakhe, wahlambalaza uJehova ngokuthi athi abantu bakhonza uNkulunkulu ngenxa nje yezisusa zobugovu. USathane wathi: “Umuntu uyokhipha konke anakho ngenxa yomphefumulo wakhe.” Wabe esethi ngoJobe: “Ngiyacela, ake welule isandla sakho, uthinte kuze kufike ethanjeni lakhe nasenyameni yakhe ubone ukuthi ngeke yini akuthuke khona kanye ebusweni bakho.” (Jobe 2:4, 5) Ingabe uSathane useshintshile kusukela asho lawo mazwi? Lutho neze! Eminyakeni eminingi kamuva, lapho uSathane exoshwa ezulwini, wayesaqhubeka nokumangalela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile ngokungaphezi. (IsAmbulo 12:10) Namuhla, uSathane usabamangalela abantu ngokuthi bakhulekela uNkulunkulu ngezisusa zobugovu. Umagange ukusibona senqaba ubukhosi bukaNkulunkulu futhi siyeka ukumkhulekela.

⁹ Lapho uhlupheka ngenxa yovivinyo, zama ukucabanga ngalokhu. USathane namademoni bakolunye uhlangothi. Babhekile ukuze babone ukuthi uzokwenzenjani futhi bagomela ngokuthi uzoyeka. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kukhona uJehova, iNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, abagcotshiwe asebevusiwe kanye nezinkulungwane zezingelosi. Nabo bayakubona uzabalaza, kodwa bona bayakukhuthaza ukuba uqhubeke! Bayajabula ukubona ukuthi uyakwazi ukukhuthazela nokuhlala uqotho kuJehova. Ube sewuzwa uJehova ethi kuwe: “Hlakanipha, ndodana yami, wenze inhliziyo yami ijabule, ukuze ngimphendule ongiklolodelayo.”—IzAga 27:11.

10. Ungamlingisa kanjani uJesu ngokugxila emivuzweni yokukhuthazela?

¹⁰ Gxila emivuzweni. Zicabange uthatha uhambo. Endleleni kumelwe udlule  emhubheni omude. Nomaphi lapho ubheka khona, kumnyama bhuqe. Kodwa uyazi ukuthi uma uqhubeka uya ngasekupheleni kwawo, uzophinde ukubone ukukhanya. Ukuphila kungafaniswa nalolo hambo. Kungase kudingeke ubhekane nezikhathi ezinzima, futhi ungase uzizwe ukhungathekile ngenxa yezinkinga zakho. Ngisho noJesu kungenzeka wazizwa ngaleyo ndlela. Lapho ebulawa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, wahlazeka futhi wayesezinhlungwini ezinkulu. Kumelwe ukuba leso kwakuyisikhathi esinzima kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwakhe! Yini eyamsiza wakhuthazela? IBhayibheli lithi wabheka ‘injabulo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe.’ (Hebheru 12:2, 3) UJesu wagxila emivuzweni yokukhuthazela kwakhe, ikakhulukazi ukuthi wayezoba nesandla ekungcwelisweni kwegama likaNkulunkulu nasekusekeleni ilungelo lakhe lokubusa. Wayazi ukuthi lolo vivinyo lwalungolwesikhashana nokuthi umvuzo wakhe wasezulwini wawuyohlala phakade. Namuhla, uvivinyo obhekana nalo lungase lukukhungathekise futhi lube buhlungu, kodwa khumbula ukuthi lungolwesikhashana.

11. Kungani kufanele sicabange ngalokho ababhekana nakho “labo abaye bakhuthazela”?

¹¹ Akudingeki sikhuthazele sisodwa. Ukuze akhuthaze amaKristu ukuba akhuthazelele uvivinyo lukaSathane olungapheli, umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Melanani naye, niqinile okholweni, nazi ukuthi izinto ezifanayo eziyizinhlupheko zehlela yonke inhlangano yabazalwane benu ezweni.” (1 Petru 5:9) Lokho ababhekana nakho “labo abaye bakhuthazela” kusifundisa indlela yokuhlala sithembekile, kuyasiqinisekisa ukuthi singaphumelela futhi kusikhumbuza ukuthi ubuqotho bethu buyovuzwa. (Jakobe 5:11) Ake sibheke izibonelo ezimbalwa. ^[1]—Bheka umbhalo osekugcineni.

12. Yini esiyifunda esibonelweni samakherubi ayebekwe e-Edene?

¹² Amakherubi izingelosi ezisesikhundleni esiphezulu. Ngemva kokona kuka-Adamu no-Eva, uJehova wanika amanye amakherubi isabelo esisha emhlabeni. Sasihluke kakhulu kuleso ayenaso ezulwini. Isibonelo sawo sisifundisa indlela yokukhuthazela lapho sinesabelo esinzima. IBhayibheli lithi uJehova “wamisa empumalanga yensimu yase-Edene amakherubi nenkemba eyayiziphendukela njalo futhi ivutha amalangabi ukuba aqaphe indlela eya emthini wokuphila.” ^[2] (Bheka umbhalo osekugcineni.) (Genesise 3:24) IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi lawo makherubi akhononda noma aba nomuzwa wokuthi ayebaluleke kakhulu ukuba anganikwa leso sabelo. Awazange acikeke noma ayeke.  Kunalokho, ahlala esabelweni sawo kwaze kwaba yilapho esewuphothulile umsebenzi wawo, mhlawumbe ngesikhathi sikaZamcolo, sekuphele iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-1 600!

13. UJobe wakwazi kanjani ukukhuthazelela uvivinyo ayebhekene nalo?

¹³ Indoda ethembekile uJobe. Ngezinye izikhathi singase siphatheke kabi ngenxa yokuthi umngane noma ilungu lomndeni lisho okuthile okudumazayo. Noma mhlawumbe ugula kakhulu noma uzwa ubuhlungu ngenxa yokuthi ushonelwe othile omthandayo. Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, ungayithola induduzo esibonelweni sikaJobe. (Jobe 1:18, 19; 2:7, 9; 19:1-3) UJobe wayengazi ukuthi kungani avele abhekana novivinyo oluningi kangaka kungazelelwe, kodwa akazange ayeke ukukhuthazela. Yini eyamsiza wakhuthazela? Okokuqala, wayemthanda uJehova futhi esaba ukumdumaza. (Jobe 1:1) UJobe wayefuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu ebuhleni nasebubini. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova wasiza uJobe wabona amandla aKhe ngokumtshela ngezinye zezinto ezimangalisayo azidalile. Lokhu kwenza uJobe waqiniseka nakakhulu ukuthi uJehova wayezoluqeda uvivinyo ayebhekene nalo ngesikhathi esifanele. (Jobe 42:1, 2) Futhi yilokho kanye okwenzeka. ‘UJehova ngokwakhe wasinqanda isimo sobuthunjwa sikaJobe, futhi uJehova waqala ukwenezela kukho konke okwakungokukaJobe, ngokuphindwe kabili.’ UJobe wafa ‘esemdala futhi anelisiwe yizinsuku.’—Jobe 42:10, 17.

14. Ngokweyesi-2 Korinte 1:6, ukukhuthazela kukaPawulu kwabasiza kanjani abanye?

¹⁴ Umphostoli uPawulu. Ingabe ubhekene nokuphikiswa okunzima noma ngisho nokushushiswa? Ingabe ungumdala ebandleni noma ungumbonisi wesigodi okhungathekile ngenxa yemithwalo eminingi esemahlombe akho? Uma kunjalo, isibonelo sikaPawulu singakusiza. UPawulu wabhekana nokushushiswa okunonya, kanti wayehlale ekhathazekile nangabafowabo  emabandleni. (2 Korinte 11:23-29) Kodwa uPawulu akazange nanini ayeke ukukhuthazela, futhi isibonelo sakhe sabaqinisa abanye. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 1:6.) Ngokufanayo, ukukhuthazela kwakho kungabakhuthaza abanye ukuba nabo bakhuthazele.

15, 16. (a) Yimuphi “umsebenzi” okumelwe upheleliswe ukukhuthazela? (b) Nikeza izibonelo zendlela ‘esingakuvumela ngayo ukukhuthazela kuphelelise umsebenzi wako.’

¹⁵ Umfundi uJakobe waphefumulelwa ukuba abhale: “Vumelani ukukhuthazela kuphelelise umsebenzi wako, ukuze nibe abaphelele nabaphilile ezicini zonke, abangantuli lutho.” (Jakobe 1:4) Ukukhuthazela kungawuphelelisa kanjani “umsebenzi” wako kithi? Lapho sibhekene novivinyo, singase siphawule ukuthi kudingeka sibe nesineke, sibonise ukwazisa noma sibe nothando kakhudlwana. Njengoba sikhuthazelela lolo vivinyo, siyofunda ukuzibonisa nakakhulu lezi zimfanelo, futhi ngaleyo ndlela sithuthukise ubuntu bethu bobuKristu.

¹⁶ Ngenxa yokuthi ukukhuthazela kungasenza sibe amaKristu angcono, ngeke sifune ukwephula umthetho kaJehova ukuze nje siphume ovivinyweni. Ngokwesibonelo, uma ushikashikana nemicabango yokuziphatha okubi, ungasivumeli isilingo sikunqobe! Cela uJehova akusize wenqabe imicabango engalungile. Ingabe kunelungu lomndeni elikuphikisayo? Ungayeki! Zimisele ukuqhubeka ukhonza uJehova. Ngenxa yalokho, uyomethemba nakakhulu uJehova. Khumbula: Ukuze samukelwe uNkulunkulu, kumelwe sikhuthazele.—Roma 5:3-5; Jakobe 1:12.

17, 18. (a) Fanekisa ukubaluleka kokukhuthazela kuze kube sekupheleni. (b) Njengoba sisondela ekupheleni, yini esingaqiniseka ngayo?

¹⁷ Akumelwe sikhuthazele okwesikhathi esithile nje kuphela, kodwa kuze kube sekupheleni. Ake ucabange ngomkhumbi ocwilayo. Ukuze basinde, abagibeli kumelwe babhukude baze bayofika ogwini. Umuntu ovele ayeke lapho nje esaqala ukubhukuda uyominza. Ngokufanayo, umuntu oyeka ngaphambi nje kokuba afike ogwini naye uyominza. Uma sifuna ukuphila ezweni elisha, kudingeka sikhuthazele. Masibe nesimo sengqondo esifanayo naleso umphostoli uPawulu ayenaso, owathi: “Asiyeki.”—2 Korinte 4:1, 16.

¹⁸ NjengoPawulu, siqiniseka ngokugcwele ukuthi uJehova uzosisiza sikhuthazele kuze kube sekupheleni. UPawulu wabhala: “Siyanqoba ngokuphelele ngalowo owasithanda. Ngoba ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi nakufa nakuphila nazingelosi nahulumeni nazinto ezikhona manje nazinto ezizayo namandla nakuphakama nakujula nanoma iyiphi enye indalo ngeke kukwazi ukusihlukanisa nothando lukaNkulunkulu olukuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.” (Roma 8:37-39) Yiqiniso ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi siyokhathala. Kodwa masilingise uGideyoni nebutho lakhe. Bakhathala, kodwa abazange bayeke. ‘Baqhubeka nokubajaha’!—AbaHluleli 8:4.