1-3. (a) Iziphi izinto umuntu angazisola ngazo, futhi zingasithinta kanjani? (b) Yini esingayifunda kuPawulu ngokukhonza uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kokuzisola?

IMBONGI ethile yabhala: “Kuwo wonke amazwi abuhlungu angabhalwa ngepeni noma ashiwo ngomlomo, adabukisa kunawo wonke yilawa: ‘Ngabe kwaba!’” Le mbongi nguJ. G. Whittier, futhi wayebhekisela ezintweni esizisola ngazo, esifisa sengathi singaba nelinye ithuba lokuzenza ngokuhlukile. Elithi “ukuzisola” lisho ukudabuka noma ubuhlungu obusengqondweni ngenxa yokuthile okwenziwe noma okungenziwanga, futhi lingasho “ukuphinde ukhale.” Sonke siye senza izinto esifisa sengathi singahlehlisa isikhathi sizenze ngokuhlukile. Iziphi izinto wena ozisola ngazo?

² Abanye abantu baye benza amaphutha amakhulu ekuphileni kwabo, baze benza ngisho nezono ezinkulu. Abanye abenzanga izinto ezimbi kakhulu, kodwa bazibuza ukuthi ezinye zezinqumo abazenza ekuphileni zazingcono kakhulu yini ngempela. Abanye baye bakwazi ukudlulisa okwenzeke esikhathini esidlule futhi baqhubeka nokuphila kwabo. Abanye bafikelwa njalo umuzwa wokuthi “ukube” lapho becabanga ngesikhathi esidlule. (IHu. 51:3) Kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe ufisa sengathi ungakhonza uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kokuzisola—okungenani kusukela namuhla kuqhubeke? Sikhona yini isibonelo sangempela esingafunda kuso ukwenza kanjalo? Ngokuqinisekile sikhona—umphostoli uPawulu.

³ Phakathi nokuphila kwakhe, uPawulu wenza amaphutha amabi waphinde wenza nezinqumo ezinhle. Wazisola ngokujulile ngalokho akwenza esikhathini esidlule, kodwa wafunda nendlela yokuphumelelisa ukuphila kwakhe enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. Ake sibone ukuthi yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sakhe ngokukhonza ngaphandle kokuzisola.

4. Imuphi umlando ongemuhle umphostoli uPawulu ayenawo?

⁴ NjengomFarisi osemusha, uPawulu wenza izinto azisola ngazo kamuva. Ngokwesibonelo, wahola umkhankaso wokushushisa ngonya abafundi bakaKristu. Umlando  weBhayibheli uthi ngemva nje kokubulawelwa ukholo kukaStefanu, “uSawulu [kamuva owaziwa ngelikaPawulu] waqala ukuphatha ibandla ngendlovula. Ehlasela indlu ngemva kwenye, futhi ehudulela ngaphandle kokubili amadoda nabesifazane, ebanikela etilongweni.” (IzE. 8:3) Isazi u-Albert Barnes sathi igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ukuphatha ngendlovula” “liyigama elinamandla, elibonisa intshiseko nolaka [uSawulu] ayeshushisa ngalo.” Ngakho, uBarnes wathi, “USawulu walwa nesonto njengesilo sasendle.” NjengomJuda ozinikele, uSawulu wayekholelwa ukuthi kwakuwumsebenzi awunikwe uNkulunkulu ukuba abuqede nyá ubuKristu. Ngakho washushisa amaKristu ngonya lobulwane, “esonga futhi eshabashekela ukubulala . . . kokubili amadoda nabesifazane,” ezama ukubabhubhisa.—IzE. 9:1, 2; 22:4. *

5. Chaza indlela uSawulu aguqulwa ngayo ekushushiseni abalandeli bakaJesu waqala ukushumayela ngoKristu.

⁵ USawulu wayehlose ukuya eDamaseku, ayobakhipha ngenkani abafundi bakaJesu emakhaya abo, futhi abahudulele eJerusalema ukuze bayobhekana nolaka lweSanhedrini. Nokho, wehluleka ngoba wayelwa neNhloko yebandla lobuKristu. (Efe. 5:23) Ngesikhathi uSawulu esendleleni eya eDamaseku, uJesu wazibonakalisa kuye futhi ukukhanya okuyisimangaliso kwenza uSawule waba impumputhe. UJesu wabe eseyala uSawulu ukuba aye eDamaseku lapho ayeyotshelwa khona okwengeziwe okwakumelwe akwenze. Siyakwazi okwenzeka ngemva kwalokho.—IzE. 9:3-22.

6, 7. Yini ebonisa ukuthi uPawulu wayewazi kahle umlando wakhe obuhlungu wesikhathi esidlule?

⁶ Imigomo kaPawulu yashintsha ngokushesha nje ngemva kokuba ebé umKristu. Esikhundleni sokuba isitha esinolaka sobuKristu, wabusekela ngentshiseko. Noma kunjalo, nakhu akubhala ngaye kamuva: “Yebo, nezwa ngokuziphatha kwami ngaphambili enkolweni yobuJuda, ukuthi ngaqhubeka ngishushisa ibandla likaNkulunkulu futhi ngilichitha kwaze kwaba seqophelweni lokweqisa.” (Gal. 1:13) Kamuva, wabuye wakhuluma ngalo mlando wakhe ongemuhle lapho ebhalela abaseKorinte, abaseFilipi kanye noThimothewu. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:9; Fil. 3:6; 1 Thim. 1:13) UPawulu wayengakujabuleli ukubhala izinto ezinjalo ngaye, kodwa akazange futhi azame ukwenza sengathi kwakungenzekanga lutho. Wayazi kahle ukuthi wayenze amaphutha amabi kakhulu.—IzE. 26:9-11.

⁷ Isazi seBhayibheli uFrederic W. Farrar sabhekisela endimeni uSawulu ayebe nayo “emsebenzini onyantisayo wokushushisa.” UFarrar wanezela ukuthi yilapho kuphela sihlaziya imiphumela esabekayo yale nkathi edabukisayo ekuphileni kukaPawulu lapho “sizwa khona umthwalo wokuzisola okumelwe ukuba wawusemahlombe akhe nokukloloda okumelwe ukuba wayebhekana nakho kwezitha zakhe ezazimzonda.” Mhlawumbe ngezinye izikhathi abazalwane ababeqala ukumbona emabandleni ahlukahlukene ayewahambela babeya kuye bathi, ‘Uwena kanti lo Pawulu—owasishushisa!’—IzE. 9:21.

8. UPawulu wazizwa kanjani ngesihe nangothando uJehova noJesu abambonisa kona, futhi lokhu kusifundisa siphi isifundo?

⁸ Nokho, uPawulu waqaphela ukuthi wayekwazi ukufeza inkonzo yakhe ngomusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu. Ukhuluma ngale mfanelo kaNkulunkulu yesihe izikhathi ezingu-90 ezincwadini zakhe ezingu-14—ukwedlula noma imuphi omunye umlobi weBhayibheli. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 15:10.) UPawulu wayeyazisa indlela yesihe aphathwa ngayo, futhi wayefuna ukuqinisekisa ukuthi umusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu akawuboniswanga ngeze. Ngakho ‘washikashikeka ukubedlula bonke’ abanye abaphostoli. Isibonelo sikaPawulu sibonisa ngokucacile ukuthi uma sizivuma izono zethu futhi sishintsha inkambo yethu,  uJehova ukulungele ukusula ngisho nezono ezinkulu kakhulu ngesisekelo somhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu. Yeka ukuthi lokhu kuyisifundo esihle kanjani kunoma ubani okuthola kunzima ukukholelwa ukuthi izinzuzo zomhlatshelo kaKristu zingasebenza kuye! (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 1:15, 16.) Ngisho noma uPawulu ayeke waba umphikisi ononya kaKristu, wakwazi ukubhala: ‘INdodana kaNkulunkulu yangithanda futhi yazinikela ngenxa yami.’ (Gal. 2:20; IzE. 9:5) Yebo, uPawulu wafunda isimiso sendlela yokukhonza ngaphandle kokunezela ezinye izinto ayengazisola ngazo. Ingabe yilokho nawe okufundile?

9, 10. (a) Kungani abanye abantu bakaJehova bezisola? (b) Yini engalungile ngokukhathazeka njalo ngezinto zesikhathi esidlule?

⁹ Ingabe uye wenza izinto ozisola ngazo manje? Ingabe uye wachitha amandla nesikhathi esiyigugu uphishekela izinto ezingafanele? Ingabe wake waziphatha ngendlela eyalimaza abanye? Noma kungenzeka yini ukuthi unemizwa engemnandi yokuzisola ngesizathu esithile? Umbuzo uwukuthi, Ungenzani ngakho?

¹⁰ Abantu abaningi bayakhathazeka! Ukukhathazeka ngokuqhubekayo kusho ukuzihlupha, ukuzishaya, ukuzishushisa. Kubangela ukukhathazeka okukhulu. Ingabe ukukhathazeka kuyazixazulula izinkinga? Lutho neze! Cabanga uzama ukuya phambili ngokulokhu unyakazisa isihlalo esiyendayendayo, ukhiphe wonke amandla akho kodwa ulokhu umi ndawonye! Esikhundleni sokukhathazeka, ukwenza okuthile okuhle kungase kube nemiphumela emihle. Ungase uxolise kumuntu omonile, mhlawumbe nibuyisane. Ungagwema noma yini eyaholela kuleso senzo esibi, kanjalo uvimbele ukudala ezinye izinkinga esikhathini esizayo. Kanti-ke futhi, kungase kudingeke uphile nemiphumela yezimo ezithile. Kodwa ukukhathazeka kumane kuwukukhubazeka okungashiya umuntu engakwazi ukukhonza uNkulunkulu ngokugcwele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, awukho umvuzo wokukhathazeka!

11. (a) Singasithola kanjani isihe nomusa wothando kaJehova? (b) Iyiphi inqubo elungiselelwe nguNkulunkulu yokuthola ukuthula kwengqondo ngokuphathelene namaphutha ethu esikhathi esidlule?

 ¹¹ Abanye bathambekele ekuvumeleni ukugajwa amaphutha abo esikhathi esidlule baze bazizwe bengelutho emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Bangase babe nomuzwa wokuthi abanakusithola isihe sikaNkulunkulu ngenxa yokuthi beye banhlanhlatha kakhulu noma kaningi. Nokho, iqiniso liwukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini abayenzile esikhathini esidlule, bangaphenduka, bashintshe futhi bacele intethelelo. (IzE. 3:19) UJehova angababonisa isihe nomusa wothando, njengoba ekwenzile kwabanye abaningi. UJehova uyombheka ngomusa umuntu othobekile noqotho futhi akubone nokuphenduka kwakhe okusuka enhliziyweni. Wenza kanjalo kuJobe, owathi: “Ngiphenduka othulini nasemlotheni.” (Jobe 42:6) Sonke kumelwe silandele inqubo elungiselelwe uNkulunkulu yokuthola ukuthula kwengqondo: “Omboza izeqo zakhe ngeke aphumelele, kodwa ozivumayo azishiye uyoboniswa isihe.” (IzAga 28:13; Jak. 5:14-16) Ngakho, singazivuma izono zethu kuNkulunkulu, sithandazele intethelelo yakhe, bese sithatha izinyathelo zokulungisa esikwenzile. (2 Kor. 7:10, 11) Uma sesizenzile lezi zinto, singasijabulela isihe saLowo “othethelela ngendlela enkulu.”—Isaya 55:7.

12. (a) Isibonelo sikaDavide sisifundisani mayelana nendlela engcono kakhulu yokubhekana nonembeza onecala? (b) UJehova uye wazisola ngamuphi umqondo, futhi ukwazi lokho kusisiza kanjani? (Bheka ibhokisi.)

¹² Umthandazo unamandla; ufeza lukhulu kuNkulunkulu. UDavide waveza imizwa yakhe ejulile ngomthandazo wokholo olondolozwe kahle kakhulu encwadini yamaHubo. (Funda iHubo 32:1-5.) Njengoba uDavide avuma, ukuzama ukucindezela unembeza onecala kwamane kwamenza wakhathala! Ngokusobala wezwa imiphumela ebuhlungu ngokwengqondo nangokomzimba futhi waphelelwa injabulo ngenxa yokungasivumi isono sakhe. Yini eyamenza wathethelelwa futhi wathola impumuzo? Ukusivuma isono sakhe kuNkulunkulu. UJehova wayiphendula imithandazo kaDavide futhi wamqinisa ukuba aqhubekele phambili nokuphila futhi afeze izinto ezizuzisayo. Ngokufanayo, uma uthandaza ngobuqotho ngokusuka enhliziyweni, ungaqiniseka ukuthi uJehova uyokunaka ukunxusa kwakho. Uma uhlushwa amaphutha esikhathi esidlule, walungise ngokwezinga ongenza ngalo bese ukholelwa isiqinisekiso sikaJehova sokuthi ukuthethelele!—IHu. 86:5.

13, 14. (a) Yini okufanele sikhathazeke ngayo ngokuyinhloko manje? (b) Imiphi imibuzo engasishukumisela ukuba sihlaziye isimo sethu samanje?

¹³ Kuye kwathiwa ukuphila singakuqonda ngokubheka emuva, kodwa kumelwe sikuphile ngokubheka phambili. Ngakho, esikhundleni sokukhathazeka ngesikhathi esidlule, kufanele sikhathazeke ngesamanje nesizayo. Yini esiyenzayo noma esingayenzi njengamanje, esiyofisa ukuthi ngabe sayenza ngendlela ehlukile eminyakeni ezayo kusukela manje? Ingabe silondoloza  inkambo yokwethembeka eyosivimbela ukuba singazisoli esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁴ Njengoba usizi olukhulu lusondela, asifuni ukuhlushwa imicabango yokukhathazeka enjengale: ‘Ingabe bengingenza okwengeziwe enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu? Kungani ngingazange ngingenele inkonzo yamaphayona ngesikhathi ithuba lingivulekele? Yini eyangivimbela ukuba ngisebenzele ukufinyelela ilungelo lokuba inceku ekhonzayo? Ingabe ngiwenze ngempela umzamo wokugqoka ubuntu obusha? Ingabe ngiwuhlobo lomuntu uJehova alufunayo ezweni lakhe elisha?’ Esikhundleni sokumane sikhathazeke ngale mibuzo esangulukisayo, sifuna ukuyisebenzisela ukuzihlaziya nokuqinisekisa ukuthi senza konke okusemandleni enkonzweni kaJehova. Uma kungenjalo, kungenzeka siqhubeka nendlela yokuphila engaphumela ekuzisoleni ngokwengeziwe.—2 Thim. 2:15.

15, 16. (a) Ikuphi ukuzidela abaningi abaye bakwenza ukuze babeke inkonzo kaNkulunkulu kuqala ekuphileni kwabo? (b) Kungani kungafanele sizisole nganoma ikuphi ukuzidela esiye sakwenza ekubekeni izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala?

¹⁵ Kuthiwani ngalabo abaye badela izinto ezithile ukuze bakhonze uJehova isikhathi esigcwele? Mhlawumbe uye washiya umsebenzi noma ibhizinisi elichumayo ukuze wenze ukuphila kwakho kube lula futhi ube nesikhathi esengeziwe sokuphishekela izithakazelo zoMbuso. Noma mhlawumbe uye wahlala ungashadile noma uma ushadile, wanquma ukudela ukuba nabantwana ukuze uzenze utholakalele umkhakha othile wenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele owawungeke ukwazi ukuwujabulela—inkonzo yaseBethel, umsebenzi wokwakha emhlabeni wonke, ukuba umbonisi wesifunda noma inkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli. Ingabe kufanele uzisole ngalezo zinqumo manje njengoba usuguga usenkonzweni kaJehova? Ingabe kufanele ube nomuzwa wokuthi lokho kuzidela kwakungadingeki noma usheshile ukukwenza? Lutho neze!

¹⁶ Lezo zinqumo wazenza ushukunyiswa uthando olujulile ngoJehova nesifiso esiqotho sokusiza abanye abafuna ukumkhonza. Akumelwe ucabange ukuthi ukuphila kwakho ngabe kungcono kakhulu ukube wenza ngendlela ehlukile. Ungaba nomuzwa ojulile wokwaneliseka ngokwazi ukuthi wenze lokho owawazi ukuthi kulungile kuwe. Ungajabula ngokuthi wenze konke okusemandleni akho ukukhonza uJehova. Ngeke akukhohlwe ukuphila kwakho kokuzidela. Ekuphileni kwangempela okuseza, uyokuvuza ngezibusiso ezingcono kakhulu ukwedlula noma yini ongayicabanga manje!—IHu. 145:16; 1 Thim. 6:19.

17, 18. (a) Isiphi isimiso esasiza uPawulu ukuba akhonze ngaphandle kokuzisola? (b) Yini ozimisele ukuyenza ngokuphathelene nenkonzo yakho kuJehova yesikhathi esidlule, esamanje nesizayo?

¹⁷ Isiphi isimiso uPawulu asifunda esamsiza ukuba akhonze uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kokunye ukuzisola? Ngokwenguqulo ka-J. B. Phillips, uPawulu wabhala: “Okwenzeke esikhathini esidlule ngiyakushiya futhi ngiqonde emgomweni, izandla zami ngizelulele kunoma yini engaphambili.” (Funda eyabaseFilipi 3:13, 14.) UPawulu akazange agxile enkambweni eyayingalungile ayeyiphishekele ebuJudeni. Kunalokho, wasebenzisa wonke amandla akhe ekuzenzeni afanelekele umklomelo wesikhathi esizayo wokuphila okuphakade.

¹⁸ Sonke singasebenzisa isimiso esiqukethwe amazwi kaPawulu. Kunokuba silokhu sikhathazeka ngesikwenze esikhathini esidlule, sigxile kulokho esingenakukulungisa, kufanele sizame ukufinyelela lokho okuzayo. Yebo, singase singakwazi ukuwakhohlwa ngempela amaphutha ethu adlule, kodwa akudingeki ukuba silokhu sizishaya ngawo. Singalwela ukudlulisa isikhathi esidlule, sikhonze uNkulunkulu ngawo wonke amandla ethu manje futhi sibheke phambili ekusaseni elikhazimulayo!