Ithemba—Isivikelo Esibalulekile Ezweni Elisabekayo

Umfanyana waseKorea wayefuna ukusiza unina ukuba abonise umfundi wasekolishi indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuba nethemba ngekusasa. Ekhumbula umfanekiso ayewuzwe emhlanganweni wobuKristu, wabuza lomfundi ukuthi angamsiza yini ekusombululeni imfumbe. Wavuma. Lomfanyana wathi: “Kwakukhona imikhaya emibili. Yomibili yayimpofu kakhulu. Imvula yayina ngamandla, futhi uphahla lwazo zombili lezindlu lwaluvuza. Omunye umkhaya wawudumele kakhulu, futhi ukhononda kakhulu ngalokhu kuvuza. Kodwa omunye wawujabulile kuyilapho uvala uphahla lwawo. Kungani kunomehluko omkhulu kangaka phakathi kwalemikhaya emibili?” Edidekile, lowesifazane osemusha waphendula ngokuthi akazi. Lomfana wathi, “Umkhaya wesibili wawujabulile ngoba wawusanda kuthola incwadi evela kuhulumeni wedolobha iwazisa ukuthi uzonikezwa indlu entsha. Ngakho wawunethemba. Yilowo umehluko!”

IMFUMBE yalomfana ibonisa iqiniso elisobala: Ithemba ngokuvamile lishintsha indlela esizizwa ngayo ngokuphila, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izimo zethu ziyini. Njengalemikhaya emibili alandise ngayo, sonke kudingeka sikhuthazelele uvivinyo ekuphileni—izinkinga zempilo, ubunzima obungokwezimali, ukuwohloka komkhaya, ubugebengu, nolunye uvivinyo oluningi nokuphathwa kabi. Ngokuvamile, asinakukwazi ukuxosha izinkinga ezinjalo njengoba singenakukwazi ukuxosha izulu elidumayo. Ngakho singase sizizwe sikhungathekile, sisodwa—ngamafuphi, singavikelekile. Okungenza isimo sibe sibi kakhulu ukuthi, kungase kwenzeke ukuthi esontweni siye safundiswa ukuthi alikho ithemba ngekusasa lezoni eziningi, ukuthi lingase lihlanganise ukujeziswa phakade.

Kuye kwashiwo ukuthi izinto ezibangela ukucindezeleka ukungavikeleki nokungabi nethemba. Kodwa ngokuqinisekile singayisusa enye yalezozinto; akekho kithina okumelwe angabi nethemba. Futhi ithemba ngokwalo lingase libe isikhali esingcono kakhulu sokuphebeza ezinye izinto, imizwa yokungavikeleki. Uma sinethemba, singakhuthazelela uvivinyo ngesilinganiso esithile sokukhululeka nokwaneliseka kunokuba sishikashikeke ngokucindezeleka okungenathemba. Yebo, ithemba liyisivikelo esibalulekile.

Ingabe lamazwi aletha ukungabaza kuwe? Ingabe ngempela ithemba linamandla kangangokuthi  lingenza umehluko ongako? Futhi ingabe ithemba eliqinile liyatholakala kithina ngabanye?

Njengesigqoko

Abezokwelapha baye baqala ukuqaphela amandla aphawulekayo ethemba. Owasinda ekuCekeleni kwamaNazi, noyisazi sokucindezeleka uDkt. Shlomo Breznitz, wathi endabeni yezinkinga eziningi zokuphila, “ukucindezeleka kubangelwa ukuchaza kwethu ubunzima bazo, hhayi izinkinga ngokwazo. Ithemba linciphisa ukucindezela kwazo.” Isihloko esiku-Journal of the American Medical Association sathi ithemba “liyikhambi elinamandla.” Umagazini i-American Health wabika: “Kunezibonelo eziningi zeziguli, ikakhulukazi eziphethwe umdlavuza, ezigula kakhulu lapho okuthile kuzenza ziphelelwe yithemba—noma ezilulama ngokushesha lapho zithola okuthile okusha kokukuphilela.”—Qhathanisa nezAga 17:22.

Abafundi beBhayibheli sebenesikhathi eside bazi ukubaluleka kwethemba. Kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:8, umphostoli uPawulu wanxusa amaKristu: “Masiqonde, sifake . . . isigqoko sibe-yithemba nokusindiswa.” ‘Ithemba lokusindiswa’ lifana kanjani nesigqoko?

Cabangela lokho isigqoko esikwenzayo. Isosha langezikhathi zeBhayibheli laligqoka isigqoko sethusi noma sensimbi, esasifakwa phezu kwesembozo sendwangu yoboya, uvolo, noma isikhumba. Lesigqoko sasivikela ikhanda laso emicibisholweni endizayo, izagila ezishwilizayo, nezinkemba zempi ezigencayo. Ngakho-ke, cishe ambalwa amasosha ayekungabaza ukugqoka lesigqoko uma ayenaso. Nokho, ukugqoka isigqoko kwakungasho ukuthi isosha lalingenakunqobeka noma ukuthi lalingezwa lutho lapho lishaywa ekhanda; isigqoko sasimane nje senza ukuthi amagalelo amaningi ashelele kunokuba enze ingozi ebulalayo.

Njengoba isigqoko sivikela ikhanda, kanjalo ithemba livikela ingqondo. Ithemba lingase lingasenzi ukuba singalunaki usizi noma isithiyo ngasinye njengokungathi besingelutho. Kodwa ithemba liyawathuntubeza amagalelo anjalo futhi lisize ekuqinisekiseni ukuthi awabulali empilweni yethu engokwengqondo, engokomzwelo, noma engokomoya.

Indoda ethembekile u-Abrahama ngokusobala yayisigqokile lesigqoko esingokomfanekiso. UJehova wamcela ukuba anikele ngendodana yakhe ethandekayo, u-Isaka. (Genesise 22:1, 2) Yeka indlela okwakungaba lula ngayo ngo-Abrahama ukuba awele ekulahlekelweni yithemba, umuzwa owawungase umholele ekungalalelini uNkulunkulu. Yini eyavikela ingqondo yakhe emizweni enjalo? Ithemba lafeza indima ebalulekile. NgokwamaHeberu 11:19, ‘wathi uNkulunkulu unamandla okuvusa [u-Isaka] nakwabafileyo.’ Ngokufanayo, ithemba likaJobe ovukweni lamsiza ukuba avikele ingqondo yakhe ekubeni lusizi, okwakungamholela ekubeni athuke uNkulunkulu. (Jobe 2:9, 10; 14:13-15) UJesu Kristu, ebhekene nokufa okubuhlungu, wathola amandla nenduduzo ethembeni lakhe elijabulisayo lesikhathi esizayo. (Heberu 12:2) Ithemba lokuthi uNkulunkulu ngeke enze okungalungile, ngeke ahluleke ukugcwalisa izwi lakhe, liyisisekelo sethemba leqiniso.—Heberu 11:1.

Isisekelo Sethemba Leqiniso

Njengokholo, ithemba leqiniso lisekelwe kokuthile okungokoqobo, naseqinisweni. Lokhu kungase kubamangaze abanye. Njengoba omunye umbhali ekubeka, “abantu abaningi babonakala becabanga ukuthi ithemba limane nje liyindlela ewubuwula yokuphika iqiniso.” Nokho, ithemba leqiniso alikhona ukulindela ukwehlakalelwa izinto ezinkulu, inkolelo engenangqondo yokuthi siyothola konke esikufunayo noma yokuthi yonke into iyovele ilunge. Okungokoqobo ekuphileni kuyowaphelisa amaphupho anjalo awukuzikhohlisa.—UmShumayeli 9:11.

Ithemba langempela lihlukile. Liphuma olwazini, hhayi ezifisweni. Cabangela umkhaya wesibili kuleyamfumbe eshiwo ekuqaleni. Yiliphi ithemba owawungaba nalo uma uhulumeni wawo wawunedumela elibi lokuphula izithembiso zawo? Kunalokho, isithembiso kanye nobufakazi bokwethenjelwa kwaso sasinganikeza lomkhaya isisekelo esiqinile sokuba nethemba.

Ngokufanayo, oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla banethemba elihlangene ngokuseduze nohulumeni —uMbuso kaNkulunkulu. LoMbuso uyiwo kanye umnyombo wesigijimi seBhayibheli. Sekuyizinkulungwane zeminyaka uwumthombo wethemba kwabesifazane namadoda, anjengo-Abrahama. (Heberu 11:10) UNkulunkulu uthembisa ukuthi ngaloMbuso wakhe, uyophelisa isimiso salelizwe elidala esonakele futhi angenise esisha. (Roma 8:20-22; 2 Petru 3:13) Ithemba laloMbuso lingokoqobo, alilona iphupho. Umthombo walo—uJehova uNkulunkulu, uMbusi weNdawo yonke—futhi siyobe singenalo ihaba uma sithi akasoleki. Sidinga nje kuphela ukuhlola indalo kaNkulunkulu ebonakalayo ukuze sibone ukuthi ukhona futhi unamandla anele okugcwalisa zonke izithembiso zakhe. (Roma 1:20) Sidinga nje kuphela ukuhlola umlando wokusebenzelana kwakhe nesintu ukuze sibone ukuthi izwi lakhe alihlali lingagcwaliseki.—Isaya 55:11.

Nokho, ngokudabukisayo, abaningi abazisholo ukuthi bangamaKristu baye balahlekelwa umbono wethemba leqiniso. Isazi sezenkolo uPaul Tillich wathi entshumayelweni yakhe esanda kusakazwa: “AmaKristu [okuqala] afunda ukulindela ukuphela. Kodwa kancane kancane ayeka ukulinda. . . . Ukulindela isimo esisha sezinto emhlabeni kwaba buthakathaka, nakuba ayesithandazela eMthandazweni WeNkosi—Mayenziwe intando yakho emhlabeni njengasezulwini!”

Yeka isimo esidabukisayo! Izigidi, ngisho izinkulungwane zezigidi zabantu ezilidinga ngokuphuthumayo ithemba azinalo, kuyilapho litholakala kalula khona kanye emaBhayibhelini azo. Bheka isithelo esisabekayo! Bengenathemba eliqinile lokuvikela izingqondo zabo, ingabe kuyamangalisa ukuthi ‘ingqondo yokunganaki’ eqeda ithemba, iye yaholela abaningi kangaka ekungcoliseni umhlaba ngokuziphatha okubi osekuyinsakavukela nobudlova? (Roma 1:28) Kubalulekile ukuba singaweli ogibeni olufanayo. Kunokulahla isigqoko sethemba, sidinga ukusiqinisa ngaso sonke isikhathi.

Indlela Ongalakha Ngayo Ithemba Lakho

Indlela engcono yokwakha ithemba iwukuqaphela umthombo walo, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Tadisha iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, ngenkuthalo. AmaRoma 15:4 athi: “Ngokuba konke okwalotshwa ngaphambili kwalotshelwa ukufundiswa kwethu, ukuze ngokubekezela nangenduduzo yemibhalo sibe-nethemba.”

Ngaphezu kwalokho, kufanele siqiniseke ukuthi ithemba lethu ngekusasa aliwona nje umcabango ofiphele. Sidinga ukulenza libe ngokoqobo ezingqondweni zethu. Ingabe unethemba lokuphila phakade ePharadesi emhlabeni? Ingabe ungathanda ukubona abathandekayo bakho abafile lapho bevuswa emhlabeni? Uma kunjalo, ingabe uyazibona ulapho ngalesosikhathi? Ngokwesibonelo, u-Isaya 65:21, 22 ukhuluma ngomuntu ngamunye akha indlu yakhe futhi ehlala kuyo. Ingabe ungavala amehlo akho futhi uzibone usebenza ophahleni lwendlu yakho, ubethela ingxenye yokugcina yalo? Ake uzibone ubuka umphumela wakho konke ukuklama nokusebenza kwakho. Umsindo omnandi wokwakha usuphelile; uhlola ukuma kwezwe njengoba amathunzi antambama endlalekile. Umoya wenza izihlahla zintengezele kancane futhi ukupholise ekushiseni okubangelwa umsebenzi. Uhleko lwabantwana, luhlangene nomculo wenyoni, lufinyelela ezindlebeni zakho. Ingxoxo yabathandekayo bakho abasendlini ikhuphuka njalo ize ifike ophahleni lapho ukhona.

Ukuba nombono wesikhathi esinjalo esijabulisayo akuwona umcabango oyize; kunalokho, kuwukuzindla ngesiprofetho esiyogcwaliseka nakanjani. (2 Koritne 4:18) Lapho lelothemba liba ngokoqobo ngokwengeziwe kuwe, yilapho nethemba lakho lokuthi uyoba lapho liyoqina ngokwengeziwe. Ithemba elinjalo eliqinile, elibonakalayo liyokuvikela ekubeni ‘namahloni ngevangeli,’ okungase kukwenze ugweme isabelo sakho sokulihlanganyela nabanye. (Roma 1:16) Ngokuphambene, uyofuna ‘ukuthokoza ethembeni’ njengoba umphostoli uPawulu enza, ngokulihlanganyela nabanye ngesibindi.—Heberu 3:6.

Kunokungaphezu kwekusasa laphakade elinikeza ithemba. Kunemithombo yethemba ngisho kwamanje. Kanjani? Isazi sokuphathwa kwezwe saseRoma sekhulu lesihlanu C.E. esibizwa ngokuthi  uCassiodorus sathi: “Owamukela ithemba lezinzuzo zesikhathi esizayo yilowo oqaphela inzuzo eseyibe khona kakade.” Amazwi ahlakaniphile! Iyiphi induduzo esiyoyithola ezithembisweni zezibusiso zesikhathi esizayo uma singazazisi izibusiso zamanje?

Umthandazo futhi wakha ithemba ngisho kwamanje. Ngaphandle kokuthandazela ikusasa lesikhathi eside, kufanele sithandazele izidingo zethu zamanje. Singase sithembe futhi sithandazele ubuhlobo obuhle namalungu omkhaya namaKristu esikanye nawo, ukudla kwethu okungokomoya okulandelayo, ngisho nanokuthi kuhlangatshezwane nezidingo zethu ezibonakalayo. (IHubo 25:4; Mathewu 6:11) Ukubeka amathemba anjalo ezandleni zikaJehova kuyosisiza ukuba sikhuthazele nsuku zonke. (IHubo 55:22) Njengoba sikhuthazela, ukukhuthazela kwethu ngokwakho kuyoqinisa isigqoko sethemba.—Roma 5:3-5.

Ukubheka Abanye Abantu Ngethemba

Ukucabanga okuphambene kunjengokugqwala esigqokweni sethemba. Kuyasidla, futhi kancane kancane kungenza isigqoko siphelelwe umsebenzi. Ingabe uye wafunda ukuqaphela ukucabanga okuphambene nokulwisana nakho? Ungakhohliswa umcabango oyiphutha wokuthi isimo sengqondo sokufuna amaphutha, ukugxeka, nokulindela okubi sifana nokuhlakanipha. Eqinisweni, ukucabanga okuphambene akudingi ukuhlakanipha.

Kulula kakhulu ukuba nesimo sengqondo sokungabi nathemba ngabantu esikanye nabo. Abanye, ngenxa yokuhlangenwe nakho okubuhlungu kwesikhathi esidlule, baphelelwa yithemba lokuphinde bathole usizo noma induduzo kwabanye abantu. Isaga sabo sithi “Ukubona kanye ukubona kabili.” Bangase ngisho bangabaze nokuya kubadala abangamaKristu ukuze bathole usizo ezinkingeni zabo.

IBhayibheli lisisiza ukuba sibe nombono olinganiselwe ngabanye abantu. Yiqiniso, akuhlakaniphile ukubeka lonke ithemba lethu kubantu. (IHubo 146:3, 4) Kodwa ebandleni lobuKristu, abadala ‘bayizipho ezingabantu’ ezivela kuJehova. (Efesu 4:8, 11, qhathanisa ne-NW.) BangamaKristu aqaphile, anokuhlangenwe nakho akufuna ngempela ukuba “yindawo yokucashela umoya nesivikelo esivunguvungwini.”—Isaya 32:2.

Abanye abaningi ebandleni lobuKristu nabo bakukhathalela ngokujulile ukuba umthombo wethemba. Cabanga nje ukuthi baningi kangakanani njengamanje abanjengomama, obaba, odadewabo, abafowabo, nabantwana kulabo abaye balahlekelwa imikhaya yabo; cabanga ukuthi baningi kangakanani abangabangani “ababambelela kuneselamani” kulabo abacindezelekile.—IzAga 18:24; Marku 10:30.

Uma uye wathandazela usizo kuJehova, ungalilahli ithemba. Kungenzeka kakade usekuphendulile; kungase kube khona umdala noma omunye umKristu ovuthiwe osekulungele ukukusiza uma nje uveza isidingo sakho. Ukuba nethemba elilinganiselwe kubantu kusivikela ekuqheleni kubo nokuzehlukanisa, okungaholela ekuziphatheni kobugovu, okungafanele.—IzAga 18:1.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma sinenkinga nomKristu esikanye naye, akufanele siyisingathe ngesimo sengqondo sokungabi nathemba, esiphambene. Kakade, “uthando . . . luthemba izinto zonke.” (1 Korinte 13:4-7) Zama ukubheka abafowenu nodadewenu abangamaKristu ngendlela uJehova ababheka ngayo—ngethemba. Gxila ezimfanelweni zabo ezinhle, bathembe, futhi ukhathalele ukuthola ikhambi ezinkingeni. Ithemba elinjalo lisivikela emibangweni nasezingxabanweni, ezingazuzisi muntu.

Ungalokothi uwele ekungabini nathemba kwalelizwe elifayo. Likhona ithemba—lakho kokubili ikusasa lethu laphakade nekhambi lezinkinga zethu eziningi zamanje. Ingabe uyobambelela ethembeni? Ngokugqoka ithemba lensindiso njengesigqoko esiyisivikelo, ayikho inceku kaJehova eyoba engavikelekile—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izimo zicindezela kangakanani. Uma thina ngokwethu singalilahli, akukho lutho ezulwini noma emhlabeni okungasephuca ithemba uJehova asinikeze lona.—Qhathanisa namaRoma 8:38, 39.