Kungani Kumelwe Uzigcine Izithembiso Zakho?

UMELULEKI ongasekho kamongameli, uBernard Baruch, wathi: “Khetha umuntu othembisa okumbalwa kunabo bonke; ngeke akudumaze kakhulu.” Ezweni lanamuhla kubonakala sengathi izithembiso zenzelwa ukwephulwa. Kungaba izifungo zomshado, izivumelwano zebhizinisi noma izithembiso zokuba nesikhathi esengeziwe nezingane. Okuvame ukungashaywa mkhuba nakakhulu yilokho okusikiselwa isaga (sesiNgisi) esijwayelekile esithi, “Ukulunga komuntu ukubona ngokugcina kwakhe izithembiso.”

Yiqiniso, abantu abaningi abazimiseli kwasekuqaleni ukuzigcina izithembiso zabo. Abanye benza izithembiso ngokuphamazela abangeke bakwazi ukuzigcina noma bazephule ngoba kuyiyona ndlela elula.

Kuyavunywa, ukugcina isithembiso kungase kube nzima uma kuvela izimo ebezingalindelekile. Kodwa ingabe isithembiso esaphuliwe senza umonakalo omkhulu ngempela? Ingabe kufanele uzibheke njengezibalulekile izithembiso ozenzayo? Ukubheka kafushane isibonelo sikaJehova uNkulunkulu kuzosisiza sibone ukuthi kungani kufanele silucabangele ngokungathi sína lolu daba.

UJehova Uyazigcina Izithembiso Zakhe

Sikhulekela uNkulunkulu ogama lakhe lihlobene nokugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zakhe. Ezikhathini zeBhayibheli igama lalivame ukusho okuthile ngomuntu. Kungokufanayo nangegama likaJehova, elisho ukuthi “Ubangela Ukuba Kube Khona.” Ngakho igama laphezulu lihlanganisa umqondo wokuthi uNkulunkulu uyozigcina izithembiso zakhe, afeze nezinjongo zakhe.

Ngokuvumelana negama lakhe, uJehova wazigcina zonke izithembiso azenza esizweni sakwa-Israyeli sasendulo. Ngokuphathelene nalezi zithembiso, iNkosi uSolomoni yavuma: “Makabongwe uJehova onike abantu bakhe u-Israyeli ukuphumula njengakho konke akushiloyo; akuwanga izwi elilodwa lakho konke ukukhuluma kwakhe okuhle akusho ngesandla sikaMose inceku yakhe.”—1 AmaKhosi 8:56.

UJehova unokwethenjelwa kangangokuba umphostoli uPawulu wayengathi: “Lapho uNkulunkulu enza isithembiso sakhe ku-Abrahama, njengoba ayengenakufunga noma ubani omkhulu kunaye, wazifunga yena ngokwakhe.” (Heberu 6:13) Yebo, lona kanye igama likaJehova nobuntu bakhe kuyisiqinisekiso sokuthi ngeke aguquke kulokho akuthembisile, ngisho noma lokho kungase kumlahlekisele kakhulu. (Roma 8:32) Iqiniso lokuthi uJehova uyazigcina izithembiso zakhe lisinika ithemba eliyihange lemiphefumulo noma lokuphila kwethu.—Heberu 6:19.

Izithembiso ZikaJehova Nekusasa Lethu

Ithemba lethu, ukholo lwethu nakho kanye ukuphila kwethu kuxhomeke ekugcwalisekeni kwezithembiso zikaJehova. Iliphi ithemba eliyigugu kithi? “Kukhona amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha esikulindele ngokwesithembiso [sikaNkulunkulu], futhi kukho kuyohlala ukulunga.” (2 Petru 3:13) ImiBhalo isinikeza nesisekelo sethemba lokuthi “luyoba khona uvuko kokubili olwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” (IzEnzo 24:15) Futhi singaqiniseka ukuthi kunokuthile okungaphezu kwalokhu kuphila kwamanje. Empeleni, lokho umphostoli uJohane akubiza ngokuthi “into ethenjisiwe” ‘kuwukuphila okumi phakade.’ (1 Johane 2:25) Kodwa izithembiso zikaJehova eziseZwini lakhe akuzona ezesikhathi esizayo kuphela. Zenza ukuphila kwethu kwansuku zonke kube nenjongo ngisho namanje.

Umhubi wahlabelela: “UJehova useduze nabo bonke abambizayo, . . . uyezwa ukukhala kwabo.” (IHubo 145:18, 19) UNkulunkulu usiqinisekisa nangokuthi “upha oyethileyo amandla, nakongenamandla uyandisa izikhwepha.” (Isaya 40:29) Futhi yeka ukuthi kududuza kanjani ukwazi ukuthi ‘uNkulunkulu ngeke asivumele ukuba silingwe ngokungaphezu kwalokho esingakuthwala, kodwa ngokuhambisana nalesosilingo uyokwenza nendlela yokuphuma’! (1 Korinte 10:13) Uma sike sazibonela ukugcwaliseka kwanoma isiphi salezi zithembiso, siyazi ukuthi uJehova angethenjwa ngokuphelele. Uma sicabangela izinzuzo esizithola ezithembisweni eziningi ezenziwa uNkulunkulu futhi azigcine, kufanele sizibheke kanjani izithembiso esizenzayo kuye?

Ukugcina Izithembiso Zethu KuNkulunkulu

Akungabazeki ukuthi ukuzinikezela kwethu kuNkulunkulu kuyisithembiso esibaluleke kunazo zonke esingazenza. Ngokuthatha lesi sinyathelo, sibonisa ukuthi sifuna ukukhonza uJehova phakade. Nakuba imiyalo kaNkulunkulu ingewona umthwalo osindayo, kungase kungabi lula ngaso sonke isikhathi ukwenza intando yakhe, njengoba siphila kulesi simiso sezinto esibi. (2 Thimothewu 3:12; 1 Johane 5:3) Kodwa lapho ‘sesibeké isandla sethu egejeni’ futhi sesibe izinceku zikaJehova ezizinikezele nabafundi beNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, kufanele singalokothi sibheke emuva ezintweni zezwe esiye sazishiya.—Luka 9:62.

Lapho sithandaza kuJehova, singase sizizwe sishukumiseleka ukumthembisa ukuthi sizolwela ukunqoba ubuthakathaka, sizohlakulela imfanelo ethile yobuKristu, noma sizokwandisa isici esithile somsebenzi wethu ongokwasezulwini. Yini eyosisiza ukuba sizigcwalise lezo zithembiso?—Qhathanisa nomShumayeli 5:2-5.

Izithembiso eziqotho zivela enhliziyweni kanye nasengqondweni. Ngakho-ke, izithembiso esizenza kuJehova masizenze ngokumvulela izifuba zethu ngomthandazo, simtshele ngobuqotho lokho esikwesabayo, esikufisayo nobuthakathaka bethu. Ukukuthandazela lokho esikuthembisayo kuyoqinisa ukuzimisela kwethu ukukufeza. Singase sibheke izithembiso esizenze kuNkulunkulu njengezikweletu. Lapho izikweletu zizinkulu, singase sizikhokhele kancane kancane. Ngokufanayo, izithembiso eziningi esizenza kuJehova kuyothatha isikhathi ukuba sizigcine. Kodwa ngokumnika njalo lokhu esingakwazi ukumnika kona, sibonisa ukuthi siqinisile kulokho esikushoyo, futhi uyosibusisa ngokufanele.

Singabonisa ukuthi sizibheka njengezibalulekile izithembiso zethu ngokuthandaza njalo ngazo, mhlawumbe nsuku zonke. Lokhu kuyobonisa uBaba wethu osezulwini ukuthi siqotho. Kuyoba futhi yindlela yokusikhumbuza njalo. UDavide wasishiyela isibonelo esihle kulokhu. Ngehubo, wancenga uJehova: “Yizwa, Nkulunkulu, ukukhala kwami, ulalele umkhuleko wami. . . . Ngiyakulidumisa igama lakho kuze kube phakade, ukuze ngigcwalise izithembiso zami imihla ngemihla.”—IHubo 61:1, 8.

Ukugcina Izithembiso Zethu Kwakha Ukwethembana

Uma izithembiso esizenza kuNkulunkulu kungafanele sizithathe kalula, kungashiwo okufanayo nangalezo esizenza kumaKristu esikanye nawo. Akufanele siphathe uJehova ngenye indlela bese siphatha abafowethu ngenye. (Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Johane 4:20.) ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni, uJesu wathi: “Izwi lenu elingu-Yebo malisho uYebo, u-Cha wenu, uCha.” (Mathewu 5:37) Ukuqiniseka ukuthi esikushoyo ngaso sonke isikhathi kunokwethenjelwa kungenye yezindlela ‘esingasebenza ngayo okuhle kulabo abahlobene nathi okholweni.’ (Galathiya 6:10) Isithembiso ngasinye esisigcinayo sakha ukwethembana.

Umonakalo owenziwa ukwephula isithembiso ngokuvamile uba mkhulu nakakhulu lapho kuhileleke imali. UmKristu kufanele agcine isithembiso sakhe ngokuphathelene nokukhokha imali ebolekiwe, ukwenza inkonzo ethile, noma ukufeza isivumelwano esingokwebhizinisi. Lokhu kuyamjabulisa uNkulunkulu futhi kuqinisa ukwethembana okubaluleke kakhulu ekwenzeni abazalwane “bahlalisane ndawonye bemunye.”—IHubo 133:1.

Nokho, ukuhluleka ukunamathela ezivumelwaneni kungalimaza ibandla kanye nabantu abahileleke ngokuqondile. Umbonisi ojikelezayo uyaphawula: “Izimpikiswano ezingokwebhizinisi—ezibangelwe njalo izivumelwano lapho okungenani oyedwa ohilelekile ezibheka njengezingagcinwanga—ngokuvamile ziba undab’ uzekwayo. Ngenxa yalokho, abazalwane bachema nabathile, okungase kwenze isimo eHholo LoMbuso sishube.” Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani ukuzicabangela ngokucophelela zonke izivumelwano esizenzayo bese sizibhala phansi!a

Kufanele siqaphele nalapho sithengisa izinto ezibiza kakhulu noma situsa ilungiselelo elithile lokugcinwa kwemali, ikakhulukazi uma sizuza kulokho. Ngokufanayo, kunesidingo sokuqaphela kakhulu ukuba singeqisi lapho sichaza izinzuzo zezinto ezithile noma imithi yokwelapha noma sithembise inzuzo eningi ngokungenangqondo ezotholwa ngemali egciniwe. Uthando kufanele lushukumisele amaKristu ukuba azichaze ngokugcwele noma iziphi izingozi ezihilelekile. (Roma 12:10) Njengoba abazalwane abaningi benolwazi olulinganiselwe ngokwezamabhizinisi, bangase basethembe iseluleko sethu ngenxa nje yokuthi sihlobene nabo okholweni. Yeka indlela okungaba inhlekelele ngayo uma lokhu kusethemba kwabo kuphumela ekudumazekeni!

NjengamaKristu, asinakuyithatha imikhuba yezamabhizinisi engathembekile noma engazishayi mkhuba izithakazelo zabanye ezifanelekile. (Efesu 2:2, 3; Heberu 13:18) Ukuze samukelwe uJehova ukuba ‘sihlale etendeni lakhe,’ kumelwe sibe abanokwethenjelwa. ‘Ngisho noma siye safunga ngokuzakusilimaza, asilaphuli izwi lethu.’—IHubo 15:1, 4.

Umahluleli uJefta wakwa-Israyeli wafunga ukuthi uma uNkulunkulu emenza anqobe abakwa-Amoni, wayeyonikela kuJehova ngowokuqala ozomhlangabeza ngemva kokubuya empini, abe umnikelo wokushiswa. Lowo, kwaba ingane kaJefta okuwukuphela kwayo, kodwa akazange ashintshe kulokho ayekuthembisile. Lapho indodakazi yakhe ivuma ngokusuka enhliziyweni, wanikela ngayo ukuze ikhonze unomphela endlini engcwele kaNkulunkulu—ngokungangabazeki okwakuwumnikelo owamzwisa ubuhlungu futhi wamlahlekisela kakhulu ngezindlela ezihlukene.—AbAhluleli 11:30-40.

Ababonisi bebandla banomthwalo wemfanelo ngokukhethekile wokunamathela ezivumelwaneni abazenzayo. Ngokweyoku-1 Thimothewu 3:2, umbonisi kufanele abe “ongasoleki.” Leli igama elihumusha elesiGreki elisho “ongenakubanjwa, ongenakuhlanjalazwa.” Leli gama “aligcini ngokusikisela ukuthi leyo ndoda inedumela elihle, kodwa nokuthi iyalifanelekela.” (A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament) Njengoba umbonisi kumelwe abe ongasoleki, izithembiso zakhe kufanele zibe ezinokwethenjelwa ngaso sonke isikhathi.

Ezinye Izindlela Zokugcina Izithembiso Zethu

Kufanele sizibheke kanjani izithembiso esizenza kulabo abangewona amaKristu esikanye nawo? UJesu wathi: “Ukukhanya kwenu makukhanye phambi kwabantu, ukuze babone imisebenzi yenu emihle bese benika uYihlo osemazulwini inkazimulo.” (Mathewu 5:16) Ngokunikeza ubufakazi bokuthi siyasigcina isithembiso sethu, singase sidonsele abanye esigijimini sethu sobuKristu. Naphezu kokwehla kwezindinganiso zokwethembeka emhlabeni wonke, abantu abaningi basabazisa ubuqotho. Ukugcina izithembiso zethu kungenye yezindlela esingabonisa ngayo uthando ngoNkulunkulu nangomakhelwane futhi sihehe abathandi bokulunga.—Mathewu 22:36-39; Roma 15:2.

Phakathi nonyaka wabo wenkonzo ka-1998, oFakazi BakaJehova basebenza amahora angaphezu kwezigidi eziyinkulungwane bememezela obala izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 24:14) Kungenzeka ukuthi okunye kwalokhu kushumayela akuzange kushaywe mkhuba uma singazange sigcine izithembiso zethu ekusebenzelaneni nabanye ngokwebhizinisi noma kwezinye izindaba. Njengoba simelela uNkulunkulu weqiniso, abantu balindele ngokufanelekile ukuba senze izinto ngokwethembeka. Ngokuba abanokwethenjelwa nabathembekile, ‘sihlobisa imfundiso yoMsindisi wethu, uNkulunkulu, ezintweni zonke.’—Thithu 2:10.

Enkonzweni yethu, sinamathuba okugcina isithembiso sethu lapho sibuyela kulabo ababonise isithakazelo esigijimini soMbuso. Uma sithi sizobuya, kufanele senze kanjalo. Ukubuyela njengoba sithembisile yindlela ‘yokungagodleli abaninikho okuhle.’ (IzAga 3:27) Omunye udade wayichaza ngale ndlela le ndaba: “Izikhathi eziningana, ngiye ngahlangana nabantu abathakazelayo abaye bathi oFakazi bathembisa ukubuya kodwa abazange benze kanjalo. Yiqiniso, ngiyazi ukuthi kungenzeka abaninikhaya babengekho noma izimo ziye zenza bangakwazi ukubuyela. Kodwa ngeke ngithande ukuba othile akhulume kanjalo ngami, ngakho ngenza konke engingakwenza ukuze ngiphinde ngimthole lowo muntu ekhaya. Ngikholelwa ukuthi uma ngidumaza othile, kuyokonakalisa idumela likaJehova nelabo bonke abafowethu.”

Kwezinye izimo, singase sizizwe singathambekele ekubuyeleni ngenxa yokuphetha ngokuthi lowo muntu akanaso isithakazelo ngempela. Udade ofanayo uyachaza: “Angizami ukubona ubungako besithakazelo. Engiye ngahlangabezana nakho kuye kwangifundisa ukuthi umbono oba nawo ekuhambeleni kokuqala ngokuvamile uyiphutha. Ngakho ngizama ukuba nombono omuhle, ngibheke umuntu ngamunye njengongaba umfowethu noma udadewethu.”

Enkonzweni yobuKristu nakwezinye izingxenye eziningi, kudingeka sibonise ukuthi lokho esikuthembisayo kungathenjelwa kukho. Yiqiniso, ezinye izinto kuba lula ukuzisho kunokuzenza. Indoda ehlakaniphile yaphawula: “Abantu abaningi bayamemezela, kube yilowo nalowo umusa wakhe, kepha ngubani ongafumana umuntu othembekileyo na?” (IzAga 20:6) Ngokuzimisela, singaba abathembekile nabanamathelayo ezithembisweni zethu.

Izibusiso Ezicebile Ezivela KuNkulunkulu

Ukuthembisa ngamabomu into ongenakuyifeza kuwukungathembeki futhi kungase kufaniswe nokubhala isheke ungenayo imali yokulikhokhela ebhange. Kodwa yeka izinzuzo nezibusiso esizitholayo uma sigcina izithembiso zethu! Esinye isibusiso sokuba onokwethenjelwa siwunembeza omuhle. (Qhathanisa nezEnzo 24:16.) Kunokuqhubeka sihlushwa imizwa yesazela, sizizwa sanelisekile futhi sinokuthula. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngokugcina isithembiso sethu, siyasiza ekwenzeni kube nobunye bebandla, obuxhomeke ekwethembaneni. ‘Inkulumo yethu eyiqiniso’ nayo isitusa njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu weqiniso.—2 Korinte 6:3, 4, 7.

UJehova uyasigcina isithembiso sakhe, futhi uyaluzonda ‘ulimi lwamanga.’ (IzAga 6:16, 17) Ngokulingisa uBaba wethu osezulwini, sisondela eduze naye. Khona-ke, ngokuqinisekile sinesizathu esihle sokuzigcina izithembiso zethu.

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UJefta wagcina isithembiso sakhe, ngisho noma ukwenza kanjalo kwakubuhlungu

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Uma uye wathembisa ukubuyela, kulungiselele kahle ukwenza kanjalo