1. Yibuphi ubunzima okumelwe sibukhuthazelele, kodwa yini eyenza uJehova ajabule ngezinceku zakhe ezithembekile? (Bheka izithombe ezisekuqaleni.)

NJENGOBA wazi, ukuphila kulesi simiso sezinto akulula. Abaningi kini bazalwane nodadewethu esibathandayo baphethwe yizifo ezisongela ukuphila. Abanye nakuba sebekhulile kwabona, banakekela izihlobo zabo ezigugile. Kwabanye, kunzima ukunakekela izidingo zemindeni yabo. Siyazi nokuthi abaningi babhekene nezinkinga eziningi—hhayi nje eyodwa! Lokhu kudinga isikhathi futhi kuyakhandla—ayisaphathwa-ke eyemali edingekayo. Noma kunjalo, uyaqiniseka ukuthi izithembiso zikaJehova zizogcwaliseka futhi unokholo oluqinile lokuthi esikhathini esizayo uyothola ukuphila okungcono. Ukholo lwakho lumjabulisa ngempela uJehova!

2. Yisiphi isikhuthazo esingasithola ku-Isaya 40:29, kodwa yiliphi iphutha elikhulu esingase silenze?

² Ingabe ngezinye izikhathi uke uzwe sengathi izinkinga zokuphila sezingaphezu kwamandla akho? Uma uzizwa ngaleyo ndlela, awuwedwa. IBhayibheli lembula ukuthi ngezinye izikhathi izinceku ezithembekile zasendulo zazibona kungcono ukufa kunokuba ziqhubeke ziphila. (1 AmaKh. 19:4; Jobe 7:7) Nokho,  kunokuba ziyeke, zacela amandla kuJehova. Azizange zidumazeke ngoba uNkulunkulu wethu “unika okhatheleyo amandla.” (Isaya 40:29) Ngokudabukisayo, abanye babantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla baye baphetha ngokuthi indlela engcono yokubhekana nezinkinga zokuphila, ‘ukuthatha ikhefu eqinisweni,’ ngokungathi imisebenzi yethu yobuKristu iwumthwalo kunokuba ibe yisibusiso. Ngakho bayayeka ukufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu, ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla nokushumayela ensimini—okuyinto uSathane alindele ukuba bayenze.

3. (a) Singalibhuntshisa kanjani isu likaSathane lokusenza buthaka? (b) Yini esizoxoxa ngayo kulesi sihloko?

³ UDeveli wazi kahle ukuthi ukuhlanganyela ngokugcwele emisebenzini yobuKristu kuyasiqinisa; lokho akumjabulisi ngoba akafuni siqine. Ngakho lapho uzizwa utubekile noma ucindezelekile ungazehlukanisi noJehova. Sondela kuye nakakhulu ngoba ‘uyokwenza uqine, uyokwenza ube namandla.’ (1 Pet. 5:10; Jak. 4:8) Kulesi sihloko, sizoxoxa ngezimo ezimbili ezingasenza sinciphise ijubane lethu endleleni esikhonza ngayo uNkulunkulu, sixoxe nangendlela ukusebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli okungasisiza ngayo sikhuthazele. Kodwa okokuqala, ake sihlole indlela uJehova asiqinisa ngayo, njengoba kubonisiwe ku-Isaya 40:26-31.

4. Yisiphi isifundo esingasifunda ku-Isaya 40:26?

⁴ Funda u-Isaya 40:26. Akekho umuntu oke wakwazi ukubala zonke izinkanyezi. Ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi kungenzeka umthala wethu i-Milky Way uwodwa, unezinkanyezi ezingaba ngu-400 billion. Nokho, uJehova uzibiza zonke ngamagama azo. Sifundani kulokhu? Uma uJehova ezinaka izinto azidalile ezingaphili, cabanga indlela azizwa ngayo lapho ebuka wena sikhonzi sakhe, esimkhonza ngokuzithandela! (IHu. 19:1, 3, 14) UBaba wethu othandekayo usazi kahle. Wazi ngisho nenani ‘lezinwele zekhanda lethu.’ (Math. 10:30) Umhubi wasiqinisekisa wathi: “UJehova uyaziqaphela izinsuku zabangenaphutha.” (IHu. 37:18) Yebo, uyazibona izinkinga obhekene nazo futhi angakunika amandla okubhekana nazo.

5. Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi uJehova uyakwazi ukusiqinisa?

⁵ Funda u-Isaya 40:28. UJehova unguMthombo wamandla. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngamandla awanika ilanga. Umbhali wesayensi uDavid Bodanis wathi: “Umzuzwana ngamunye ilanga likhiqiza amandla alingana nokuqhuma kwamabhomu [e-athomu ayizigidigidi].” Omunye umcwaningi lapho ebala, waphetha ngokuthi ilanga “njengamanje likhiqiza . . . ngomzuzwana amandla anele, anganelisa izidingo zabantu iminyaka engu-200 000”! Ukhona yini ongangabaza ukuthi Lowo onika ilanga amandla, angasinika amandla esiwadingayo ukuze sibhekane nezinkinga zethu?

6. Ijoka likaJesu ngelomusa ngayiphi indlela, lokhu kusithinta kanjani?

⁶ Funda u-Isaya 40:29. Ukukhonza uJehova kusenza sijabule. UJesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Bekani ijoka lami phezu kwenu.” Wabe esenezela: “Nizotholela imiphefumulo yenu ukuqabuleka. Ngoba ijoka lami ngelomusa nomthwalo wami ulula.” (Math. 11:28-30) La mazwi ayiqiniso ngempela! Ngezinye izikhathi singazizwa sikhathele lapho siphuma endlini siya emihlanganweni yebandla noma siya enkonzweni yasensimini. Kodwa sizizwa kanjani lapho sibuya? Sizizwa siqabulekile, sikulungele kangcono ukubhekana nezinkinga zokuphila. Ngempela, ijoka likaJesu ngelomusa.

7. Landisa into eyenzeka kudade ebonisa ukuthi amazwi akuMathewu 11:28-30 ayiqiniso.

 ⁷ Sekuyisikhathi eside udade esizombiza ngokuthi uKayla ekhuthazelela isifo sokukhathala, ukucindezeleka kanye nekhanda elinkenkethayo (migraine). Yingakho ngezinye izikhathi ayekuthola kunzima ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla. Noma kunjalo, ngemva kokwenza umzamo wokuya emhlanganweni webandla, wabhala wathi: “Inkulumo ibiphathelene nokudumazeka. Yethulwe ngendlela enomusa nebonisa ukukhathalela, ingenze ngakhala. Lokho kungenze ngakhumbula ukuthi imihlangano yindawo okudingeka ngibe kuyo.” Umzamo awenza wokuya emhlanganweni wamenza wajabula!

8, 9. Umphostoli uPawulu wayesho ukuthi lapho ebhala ukuthi: “Lapho ngibuthakathaka, kulapho-ke nginamandla”?

⁸ Funda u-Isaya 40:30. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinamakhono angakanani, kuncane kakhulu esingakufeza ngamandla ethu. Leso yisifundo okumelwe sonke sisifunde. Nakuba umphostoli uPawulu ayeyindoda enekhono, kwakunezinto ezazimvimba ekwenzeni konke ayefuna ukukwenza. Lapho etshela uNkulunkulu izinto ezazimkhathaza, wathola le mpendulo: “Amandla ami enziwa aphelele ebuthakathakeni.” UPawulu walithola iphuzu. Wafinyelela kulesi siphetho: “Lapho ngibuthakathaka, kulapho-ke nginamandla.” (2 Kor. 12:7-10) Wayesho ukuthini ngalokho?

⁹ UPawulu waqaphela ukuthi kuncane kakhulu angakwenza ngamandla akhe. Wayedinga usizo oluvela kothile onamandla amakhulu. Umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu wawunganika uPawulu amandla okwenza izabelo abengeke akwazi ukuzenza ngamandla akhe. Kunjalo nangathi namuhla. Uma amandla ethu evela kuJehova, sizoqina ngempela!

10. UJehova wamsiza kanjani uDavide wabhekana nobunzima?

¹⁰ Umhubi uDavide wayevame ukuwabona amandla omoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. Wahlabelela: “Ngoba ngawe ngingagijima ngokumelene neviyo labaphangi; NgoNkulunkulu wami ngingakhwela udonga.” (IHu. 18:29) Kunezindonga noma izinkinga esingeke sikwazi ukuzinqoba ngamandla ethu, sidinga usizo lukaJehova.

11. Chaza indima yomoya ongcwele ekusisizeni sibhekane nezinkinga zethu.

¹¹ Funda u-Isaya 40:31. Ukhozi alutshuzi amabanga amade ngamandla alo. Umoya ofudumele okhuphukayo uyaliphakamisa, okwenza ukuba ukhozi longe amandla. Ngakho lapho ubhekene nento enzima, khumbula ukhozi. Nxusa uJehova akuphakamise ‘ngomsizi, umoya ongcwele.’ (Joh. 14:26) Kuyajabulisa ukwazi ukuthi singawuthola noma nini lapho siwudinga—emini nasebusuku. Singase sidinge ukucela usizo lukaJehova ikakhulukazi lapho singaboni ngaso linye nelungu lebandla. Kodwa kubangelwa yini lokho kungqubuzana?

12, 13. (a) Kungani kuba khona ukungaboni ngaso linye phakathi kwamaKristu? (b) Indaba kaJosefa isifundisani ngoJehova?

¹² Ukungaboni ngaso linye kubangelwa ukuthi sonke asiphelele. Ngenxa yalokho, kuyoba khona izikhathi lapho siyocasulwa amazwi noma izenzo zabantu esikholwa nabo noma kube yithi esibacasulayo. Lokhu kungaba uvivinyo olunzima kakhulu. Njengoba kunjalo ngezinye izinhlobo zovivinyo, uJehova uyaluvumela ukuze sibonise ubuqotho bethu ngokufunda ukusebenzelana ngobunye namadoda nabesifazane abazinikezele nabathandwa uNkulunkulu naphezu kobuthakathaka babo.

¹³ UJehova akazivikeli izinceku zakhe ekuvivinyweni. Lokho sikubona endabeni kaJosefa. Ngesikhathi esemusha,  abafowabo ababenomona bamthengisela ebugqilini eGibhithe. (Gen. 37:28) UJehova wayekubona kahle okwakwenzeka futhi akungabazeki ukuthi kwamzwisa ubuhlungu ukubona umngane wakhe, uJosefa olungile, ephathwa kabi. Noma kunjalo, akazange angenele. Kamuva, lapho uJosefa esolwa ngokuzama ukudlwengula umkaPotifari futhi evalelwa ejele, uJehova akazange angenele. Ingabe uNkulunkulu wamlahla uJosefa? Cha. IBhayibheli lithi: “Lokho [uJosefa] ayekwenza uJehova wayekuphumelelisa.”—Gen. 39:21-23.

14. Yiziphi izinzuzo ezingokomoya nezingokoqobo esingazizuza lapho siyeka intukuthelo?

¹⁴ Nasi esinye isibonelo. Bambalwa abantu abake baphathwa kabi njengoDavide. Noma kunjalo, lo mngane kaNkulunkulu akazange avume ukunqotshwa intukuthelo. Kunalokho, wabhala: “Hlukana nentukuthelo uyeke ukufutheka; ungafuthelani ukuba nje wenze okubi.” (IHu. 37:8) Isizathu esibaluleke kakhulu sokuyeka intukuthelo, ukulingisa uJehova ‘ongenzanga kithi ngokwezono zethu.’ (IHu. 103:10) Zikhona nezinye izinzuzo ezingokoqobo ‘zokuhlukana nentukuthelo.’ Intukuthelo ingabangela izinkinga zempilo ezinjengomfutho ophakeme wegazi nezinkinga zokuphefumula. Ingaphazamisa isibindi ne-pancreas, ibangele nezinkinga esiswini. Lapho sithukuthele, asicabangi kahle. Ngezinye izikhathi isifuthefuthe sentukuthelo singalandelwa ukucindezeleka okuhlala isikhathi eside. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, “Inhliziyo ezolile ingukuphila komzimba.” (IzAga 14:30) Nokho, singabhekana kanjani nemizwa ebuhlungu sizuze abafowethu? Lokho singakwenza ngokuphumelelayo ngokusebenzisa iseluleko seBhayibheli esihlakaniphile.

15, 16. Yini esingayenza ukuze sikhulume nomuntu osiphathe kabi?

¹⁵ Funda eyabase-Efesu 4:26. Asimangali lapho kudingeka sikhuthazelele ukuphathwa kabuhlungu abantu abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu. Kodwa lapho umuntu esikhonza naye noma ilungu lomndeni lisho noma lenza into esizwisa ubuhlungu, singase sikhungatheke. Ake sithi asikwazi ukuyikhohlwa into eyenziwe kithi. Ingabe sizozivumela ukuba sihlale sithukuthele kuze kuphele iminyaka eminingi? Noma ingabe sizolalela iseluleko seBhayibheli esihlakaniphile silungise inkinga ngokushesha? Uma kudlula isikhathi eside singayilungisile inkinga, kuyoba nzima nakakhulu ukwenza ukuthula nomfowethu.

¹⁶ Ake sithi umfowenu ukuphathe kabi futhi awukwazi ukuyidlulisa into akwenze yona. Yiziphi izinto ongazenza ukuze wenze ukuthula? Okokuqala, khuluma noJehova ngomthandazo. Mcele akusize  uxoxisane kahle nomfowenu. Khumbula, umfowenu ungomunye wabangane bakaJehova. (IHu. 25:14) UNkulunkulu uyamthanda. UJehova uphatha abangane bakhe ngomusa futhi ulindele okufanayo kithi. (IzAga 15:23; Math. 7:12; Kol. 4:6) Okulandelayo, cabanga ngalokho ozokusho. Ungacabangi ukuthi umfowenu uhlele ngamabomu ukukulimaza; mhlawumbe wenze iphutha. Zimisele ukwamukela ukuthi kungenzeka nawe ngandlela thile unesandla ekungqubuzaneni kwenu. Ungaqala ingxoxo ngokuthi: “Mhlawumbe ngiyashesha ukuzwela, kodwa ngesikhathi ukhuluma nami izolo ngizizwe . . . ” Uma ingxoxo ingabi nemiphumela oyifisayo, funa elinye ithuma lokwenza ukuthula. Usafuna lelo thuba, mthandazele umfowenu, ucele uJehova ambusise. Cela uJehova akusize unake kakhulu ubuntu obuhle bomfowenu. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwenzekani, ungaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyojabula ngemizamo yakho eqotho oyenzile ukuze uzuze umfowenu ongumngane kaNkulunkulu.

17. Iyiphi indlela uJehova angayisebenzisa ukuze asisize sisimame lapho senze isono futhi kungani kufanele silisebenzise ngokugcwele leli lungiselelo?

¹⁷ Abanye bazizwa bengakufanelekeli ukukhonza uJehova ngoba baye benza isono esikhulu. Unembeza onecala ungabenza bangajabuli. INkosi uDavide, eyayinonembeza onecala, yathi: “Lapho ngithule, amathambo ami aguga ngenxa yokububula kwami usuku lonke. Ngoba isandla sakho sasinzima phezu kwami imini nobusuku.” Ngokujabulisayo, uDavide wayilungisa le nkinga njengendoda engokomoya. Wabhala, “Ekugcineni ngasivuma isono sami kuwe . . . Wena wasixolela isiphambeko sezono zami.” (IHu. 32:3-5) Uma wenze isono esikhulu, uJehova ukulungele ukukusiza usimame. Kodwa kumelwe wamukele usizo alunikeza ngebandla. (IzAga 24:16; Jak. 5:13-15) Ungapholisi maseko—ukuthola ukuphila okuphakade kuxhomeke ekwenzeni lokho! Nokho, kuthiwani uma usahlushwa unembeza ngenxa yesono owasenza ngisho noma sekudlule isikhathi eside sithethelelwe?

18. Isibonelo sikaPawulu singabasiza kanjani labo abazizwa bengafaneleki?

¹⁸ Umphostoli uPawulu wayecindezeleka lapho ecabanga ngamaphutha awenza ngesikhathi esidlule. Uyavuma: “Ngingomncane kunabo bonke abaphostoli, futhi angifaneleki ukubizwa ngomphostoli, ngenxa yokuthi ngashushisa ibandla likaNkulunkulu.” Noma kunjalo, uPawulu wenezela: “Kodwa ngomusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu ngiyilokhu engiyikho.” (1 Kor. 15:9, 10) UJehova wamamukela uPawulu eyilokho ayikho futhi wayelindele ukuba noPawulu akwamukele lokho. Uma uzisola ngobuqotho ngezono owazenza esikhathini esidlule futhi uzivumile ngokwezinga elidingekayo, ungaqiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyokubonisa umusa. Ngakho kukholelwe lokho uJehova akushoyo, wamukele intethelelo yakhe!—Isaya 55:6, 7.

19. Uthini umBhalo wonyaka ka-2018 futhi kungani ufaneleka?

¹⁹ Njengoba lesi simiso sisondela ekupheleni, singalindela ukuba izinkinga zokuphila zande. Nokho, qiniseka ngokuthi Lowo ‘onika okhatheleyo amandla’ ‘nowenza kuvame amandla aphelele’ kongenamandla, angakunika noma yini oyidingayo ukuze uqhubeke. (Isaya 40:29; IHu. 55:22; 68:19) Phakathi no-2018 sizokhunjuzwa ngaleli qiniso elibalulekile njalo lapho siza eHholo LoMbuso, sibone amazwi omBhalo wethu wonyaka: “Labo abathemba uJehova bayothola amandla kabusha.”—Isaya 40:31.