1. Kuyini “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu” futhi sizuza kanjani ngokuba nako? (Filipi 4:6, 7)

 KUNOHLOBO oluthile lokuthula leli zwe elingazi lutho ngalo. Lokho kuthula “ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu,” okuwukuzola esikuthola ngokuba nobuhlobo obukhethekile noBaba wethu osezulwini. Lapho sinokuthula kukaNkulunkulu sizizwa silondekile. (Funda eyabaseFilipi 4:6, 7.) Siba abangane abaseduze nabanye abamthandayo. Kanti siba nobungane obuseduze ‘noNkulunkulu wokuthula.’ (1 Thes. 5:23) Lapho simazi, simethemba futhi simlalela uBaba wethu, ukuthula kwakhe kungenza izinhliziyo zethu ezikhathazekile zizole lapho sibhekene nesimo esinzima.

2. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi singaba nakho ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu?

² Singaba nakho ngempela yini ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu sibe sibhekene nesimo esinzima, njengokuqubuka kwesifo, inhlekelele, iziyaluyalu zomphakathi noma ushushiso? Noma yiziphi kulezi zimo ezibucayi zingasenza sesabe. Nokho, uJesu weluleka abalandeli bakhe: “Ningazivumeli izinhliziyo zenu zikhathazeke futhi ningazivumeli zikhwantabale ngenxa yokwesaba.” (Joh. 14:27) Ngokujabulisayo, abafowethu nodadewethu baye basilalela iseluleko sikaJesu. Ngosizo lukaJehova, baye bakwazi ukuba nokuthula lapho bebhekene novivinyo olunzima.

3. Isifo esiba sendaweni ethile noma ubhubhane lomhlaba wonke kungase kusincishe kanjani ukuthula?

³ Isifo esiba sendaweni ethile noma ubhubhane oluba sezingxenyeni eziningi zomhlaba kungayishintsha cishe yonke indlela abantu abaphila ngayo. Cabanga ngendlela  i-COVID-19 eyabathinta ngayo abantu abaningi. Kwenye inhlolo-vo, abantu abangaphezu kukahhafu bathi kwakunzima ukulala phakathi nalolo bhubhane. Lolo bhubhane lwabangela ukwanda okukhulu kokukhathazeka, ukucindezeleka, ukusebenzisa kabi utshwala nezidakamizwa, ubudlova basekhaya nokuzama ukuzibulala. Uma kuqubuka isifo lapho uhlala khona, ungakulawula kanjani ukukhathazeka, ube nokuthula kukaNkulunkulu?

4. Kungani ukwazi isiprofetho sikaJesu esimayelana nezinsuku zokugcina kusenza sibe nokuthula?

⁴ UJesu wabikezela ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kwakuyoba nezifo eziwumshayabhuqe “ezindaweni ngezindawo.” (Luka 21:11) Ukwazi lokho kusenza kanjani sibe nokuthula? Ukuqubuka kwezifo akusethusi. Siyaqaphela ukuthi izinto zenzeka ngendlela uJesu ayethe ziyokwenzeka ngayo. Ngakho, sinesizathu sokulalela iseluleko uJesu asinika labo abaphila ezinsukwini zokugcina: “Qaphelani ukuba ningethuki.”​—Math. 24:6.

5. (a) Ngokuvumelana neyabaseFilipi 4:8, 9, yini okufanele siyithandazele lapho kuqubuka isifo? (b) Ukulalela iBhayibheli elirekhodiwe kungakuzuzisa kanjani?

⁵ Ukuqubuka kwesifo kungaholela ekukhathazekeni nasekwesabeni. Kwenzeka lokho kudade okuthiwa uDesi. b Ngemva kokuba ubab’ omncane wakhe, umzala nodokotela wakhe bebulewe i-COVID-19, wayesaba ukuthi naye uzolithola leli gciwane bese ethelela unina osekhulile. Ngenxa yobhubhane wayekhathazeke ngokuthi angase aphelelwe umsebenzi, ngakho wayezibuza ukuthi wayezokuthenga ngani ukudla futhi ayikhokhele ngani indawo yokuhlala. Wayehlale ecabanga ngalezi zinto, zimkhathaze aze aqwashe. Kodwa uDesi waphinde waba nokuthula. Kanjani? Wathandaza kuJehova, wamcela ngokukhethekile ukuba amsize azole, acabange izinto ezakhayo. (Funda eyabaseFilipi 4:8, 9.) Wavumela uJehova ukuba akhulume naye ngeBhayibheli elirekhodiwe. Uthi, “Amaphimbo amnandi alabo abafunda iBhayibheli angenza ngazola, kwehla nokukhathazeka, angikhumbuza nesihe sikaJehova.”​—IHu. 94:19.

6. Sizokusiza kanjani isifundo somuntu siqu nemihlangano yebandla?

⁶ Akungabazeki ukuthi ukuqubuka kwesifo kungaphazamisa ezinye zezinto obuzenza ngaphambili, kodwa ungavumeli kuphazamise isifundo sakho somuntu siqu nokuya emihlanganweni. Izinto abantu ababhekane nazo ezisezincwadini nakumavidiyo ethu zizokukhumbuza ukuthi abafowethu nodadewethu bakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka naphezu kwezinselele ezifanayo. (1 Pet. 5:9) Imihlangano yebandla izokusiza ucabange ngezinto ezakhayo ezisemiBhalweni. Izokunika namathuba okukhuthaza abanye, nawe  ukhuthazeke. (Roma 1:11, 12) Lapho ucabanga ngendlela uJehova aye asekela ngayo izikhonzi zakhe lapho zigula, zesaba noma zinesizungu, ukholo lwakho luyoqina futhi uyoqiniseka ngokuthi nawe uzokusekela.

7. Yiziphi izifundo ongazifunda kumphostoli uJohane?

⁷ Yenza imizamo yokuxhumana nabafowenu nodadewenu. Ukuqubuka kwesifo kungase kudinge ukuba siqhelelane ngisho nalapho sikanye nesikholwa nabo. Ezikhathini ezinjalo ungase uzizwe ngendlela umphostoli uJohane azizwa ngayo. Wayefuna ukubona umngane wakhe uGayu ubuso nobuso. (3 Joh. 13, 14) Noma kunjalo, uJohane waqaphela ukuthi ngeke akwazi ukumbona uGayu isikhathi esithile. Ngakho, uJohane wenza ayekwazi ukukwenza; wabhalela uGayu incwadi. Uma ungeke ukwazi ukuvakashela abafowenu nodadewenu ngokoqobo, zama ukuxhumana nabo ngocingo, ngevidiyo noma ubathumelele umyalezo. Lapho uxhumana namaKristu okanye nawo njalo, uyozizwa ulondekile futhi unokuthula. Thinta abadala lapho uzizwa ukhathazekile, wamukele isikhuthazo sabo esinothando.​—Isaya 32:1, 2.

8. Inhlekelele ingase ikuncishe kanjani ukuthula?

⁸ Uma wake wahlaselwa izikhukhula, ukuzamazama komhlaba noma umlilo, kungenzeka waqhubeka ukhathazeke isikhathi eside ngemva kwaleyo nhlekelele. Uma washonelwa abantu obathandayo noma walahlekelwa impahla yakho, kungenzeka wafikelwa usizi, waphelelwa yithemba noma waze ngisho wacasuka. Lokhu akusho ukuthi uthanda kakhulu izinto onazo noma unokholo oluncane. Wabhekana novivinyo olunzima, ngakho abanye bangase balindele ukuba ukhathazeke. (Jobe 1:11) Kodwa naphezu kwezimo ezicindezelayo, ungakwazi ukuba nokuthula. Kanjani?

9. UJesu wasilungiselela kanjani ukubhekana nezinhlekelele?

⁹ Khumbula isiprofetho sikaJesu. Ngokungafani nabanye ezweni abangaziboni nhlobo behlaselwa inhlekelele, thina silindele ukuba zande izinhlekelele futhi ezinye zazo zingase zisithinte. UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi “ukuzamazama komhlaba okukhulu” nezinye izinhlekelele kwakuyoba khona ngaphambi kokuba ukuphela kufike. (Luka 21:11) Waprofetha nokuthi kwakuyoba khona ‘ukwanda kokwephulwa komthetho’ njengoba sibona ubugebengu, ubudlova nobuphekula. (Math. 24:12) UJesu akashongo ukuthi lezi zinhlekelele zaziyokwehlela kuphela labo uJehova abalahlile. Empeleni, izinceku zikaJehova eziningi ezithembekile ziye zabhekana nezinhlekelele. (Isaya 57:1; 2 Kor. 11:25) UJehova angase angasivikeli ngokuyisimangaliso kuzo zonke izinhlekelele kodwa uzosinika noma yini esiyidingayo ukuze sihlale sizolile futhi sinokuthula.

10. Kungani ukuyilungiselela manje inhlekelele kubonisa ukuthi sinokholo? (IzAga 22:3)

¹⁰ Kuyoba lula ukuhlala sizolile lapho kuphakama izimo eziphuthumayo uma sihlela kusengaphambili ukuthi sizokwenzenjani. Kodwa ingabe ukuzilungiselela kusengaphambili kubonisa ukuthi asimethembi uJehova? Lutho neze. Empeleni, ukulungiselela inhlekelele kubonisa ukuthi sinalo ukholo lokuthi uzokwazi ukusinakekela. Kanjani? IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisiyala ukuba sizilungele izinhlekelele ezingase zenzeke. (Funda izAga 22:3.) Kanti inhlangano kaNkulunkulu iye yasinxusa ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuba silungele izimo eziphuthumayo isebenzisa izihloko zomagazini, imihlangano yebandla nezaziso ezifika  ngesikhathi. c Ingabe siyamethemba uJehova? Uma kunjalo, sizozilandela manje lezo ziqondiso​—ngaphambi kokuba kugadle inhlekelele.

11. Ufundani esibonelweni sikaMargaret?

¹¹ Cabanga ngokwenzeka kudade okuthiwa uMargaret. Kwathiwa akaphume emzini wakhe ngoba kwase kunomlilo wequbula endaweni ayehlala kuyo. Ngenxa yokuthi abantu abaningi babezama ukubaleka ngasikhathi sinye, kwaba nesiminyaminya emigwaqweni, kwangahambeka. Kwaba nentuthu emnyama bhuqe, uMargaret wangakwazi ukuphuma emotweni okwesikhathi esithile. Noma kunjalo, wasinda ngoba wayezilungiselele. Esikhwameni sakhe kwakunebalazwe ayengalisebenzisa ukuze athole indlela ayengaphuma ngayo. Wayeke wahamba ngale ndlela ngaphambili ukuze azi ukuthi kufanele ahambe kanjani uma kunesimo esiphuthumayo. Ngenxa yokuthi uMargaret wayezilungiselele, wasinda.

12. Kungani silandela iziqondiso zokuphepha?

¹² Ukuze iziphathimandla zisivikele futhi zibuyisele izinto esimweni, zingase zisicele ukuba silalele umthetho wewashi, ukuba sihambe endaweni ethile noma sithathe ezinye izinyathelo eziwusizo. Abanye abantu bayephuza ukulalela iziqondiso noma bayazindela ngenxa yokuthi abafuni ukushiya izinto zabo. AmaKristu wona enzenjani? IBhayibheli liyasitshela: “Ngenxa yeNkosi zithobeni kuwo wonke amagunya abekwe ngabantu, kungaba senkosini njengephakeme noma kubabusi njengabathunywe yiyo.” (1 Pet. 2:13, 14) Inhlangano kaNkulunkulu nayo isinikeza iziqondiso ukuze sihlale siphephile. Sihlale sikhunjuzwa ukuba sinikeze abadala imininingwane yethu yamuva ukuze bakwazi ukusithola uma kunesimo esiphuthumayo. Usukwenzile yini lokho wena? Singase sithole neziqondiso zokuba sihlale endlini, sihambe lapho sikhona, sithole izimpahla zosizo noma iziqondiso zendlela nesikhathi esingabasiza ngaso abanye. Uma singalaleli, singafaka ukuphila kwethu nokwabadala engozini. Khumbula ukuthi lawo madoda athembekile ayasiqapha. (Heb. 13:17) UMargaret wathi, “Ngiyaqiniseka ukuthi ukulandela isiqondiso sabadala nesenhlangano yikona okwangisindisa.”

13. Yini esize amaKristu amaningi okudingeke ashiye imizi yawo ukuba ajabule futhi abe nokuthula?

 ¹³ Abafowethu nodade abaningi okwadingeka bashiye imizi yabo ngenxa yenhlekelele, impi noma iziyaluyalu zomphakathi benze konke abangakwenza ukuze bajwayele endaweni asebehlala kuyo futhi benze izinto ezingokomoya ngaphandle kokuchitha isikhathi. NjengamaKristu akuqala ayehlakazwe ushushiso, bayaqhubeka “bememezela izindaba ezinhle zezwi likaNkulunkulu.” (IzE. 8:4) Ukushumayela kubasiza bagxile eMbusweni kunokugxila ezimweni zabo ezinzima. Ngenxa yalokho bayajabula futhi banokuthula.

14. Ushushiso lungakuphazamisa kanjani ukuthula kwethu?

¹⁴ Ushushiso lungasiphuca izinto eziningi ezivame ukusenza sibe nokuthula. Kuyasijabulisa ukuhlangana ndawonye nokushumayela ngokukhululekile nokwenza izinto esijwayele ukuzenza singesabi ukuthi sizoboshwa. Uma siphucwa leyo nkululeko singase sikhathazeke, sesabe ukuthi kazi sekuzokwenzekani. Kungokwemvelo ukuzizwa kanjalo. Noma kunjalo, kumelwe siqaphe. UJesu wathi ushushiso lungenza abalandeli bakhe bakhubeke. (Joh. 16:1, 2) Ngakho, singakulondoloza kanjani ukuthula lapho sishushiswa?

15. Kungani kungafanele sikwesabe ukushushiswa? (Johane 15:20; 16:33)

¹⁵ IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Bonke labo abafisa ukuphila ngokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu kanye noKristu Jesu nabo bayoshushiswa.” (2 Thim. 3:12) Umzalwane okuthiwa u-Andrei wakuthola kunzima ukwamukela lelo qiniso ngemva kokuba umsebenzi wokushumayela uvinjelwe ezweni lakubo. Wazibuza: ‘Baningi kakhulu oFakazi kuleli zwe. Iziphathimandla zingasibopha kanjani nje sonke?’ Kunokuba le ndlela yokucabanga imnike ukuthula, yamenza wahlala ekhathazekile. Abanye abazalwane bashiyela izinto kuJehova, abazange bazitshele ukuthi ngeke baboshwe. Babazi ukuthi bangase baboshwe, kodwa babengakhathazekile njengo-Andrei. Ngakho wakhetha ukucabanga njengabo, wathembela kuNkulunkulu. Ngokushesha waba nokuthula futhi manje usejabule naphezu kwezinselele. Kungenzeka okufanayo nakithi. Nakuba uJesu athi kufanele sikulindele ukushushiswa, wasiqinisekisa  nangokuthi singakwazi ukuhlala sithembekile.​—Funda uJohane 15:20; 16:33.

16. Yiziphi iziqondiso okudingeka sizilalele lapho sishushiswa?

¹⁶ Lapho umsebenzi wethu uvinjelwe noma ubekelwe imingcele eqinile, singase sithole iziqondiso ezivela egatsheni nakubadala. Lezi ziqondiso zisuke zihloselwe ukusivikela, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi siyaqhubeka sithola ukudla okungokomoya nokusisiza siqhubeke sishumayela ngezinga esingenza ngalo. Yenza okusemandleni ukuze ulalele iziqondiso ozitholayo, ngisho noma ungaqondi ngokugcwele ukuthi kungani zinikeziwe. (Jak. 3:17) Okunye futhi, ungalokothi udalule imininingwane ngabafowethu nodadewethu noma ngezinto ezenziwa ibandla kubantu okungafanele bazazi.​—UmSh. 3:7.

17. Njengabaphostoli bekhulu lokuqala, yini esizimisele ukuyenza?

¹⁷ Esinye sezizathu eziyinhloko ezenza uSathane alwe nabantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuthi “banomsebenzi wokufakaza ngoJesu.” (IsAm. 12:17) Ungavumeli uSathane nezwe lakhe bakwesabise. Ukushumayela nokufundisa kungakhathaliseki ukuthi siyaphikiswa kusinika injabulo nokuthula. Ngekhulu lokuqala lapho iziphathimandla ezingamaJuda ziyala abaphostoli ukuba bayeke ukushumayela, lawo madoda athembekile akhetha ukulalela uNkulunkulu. Baqhubeka beshumayela futhi lowo msebenzi wabenza bajabula. (IzE. 5:27-29, 41, 42) Yiqiniso, lapho umsebenzi wethu ubekelwe imingcele, kumelwe siqaphe lapho sishumayela. (Math. 10:16) Kodwa uma senza okusemandleni, siyoba nokuthula okubangelwa ukuthi sijabulisa uJehova nokuthi sixoxela abanye ngomyalezo osindisa ukuphila.

18. Yini okufanele siyikhumbule ngoMthombo wokuthula esikudingayo?

¹⁸ Qiniseka ukuthi ngisho noma sekunzima kangakanani, singaba nokuthula. Ezikhathini ezinjalo, kumelwe sikhumbule ukuthi ukuthula esikudingayo ukuthula kukaNkulunkulu, okuwukuthula esingakuthola kuphela kuJehova. Ncika kuye lapho kuqubuka isifo, inhlekelele noma ushushiso. Hlala useduze nenhlangano yakhe. Bheka phambili esikhathini esihle esizayo esikulindile. Njengoba ubheke phambili, ‘uNkulunkulu wokuthula uyoba nawe.’ (Fil. 4:9) Esihlokweni esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngokuthi singawasiza kanjani amanye amaKristu asosizini ukuba abe nokuthula kukaNkulunkulu.