Unokulifumana Phi Ithemba Lokwenene?

IWOTSHI yakho imile yaye ikhangeleka ngathi yonakele. Ingqondo yakho iyabethabethana xa kufuneka uyilungise. Zininzi izibhengezo zeendawo ezilungisa iiwotshi, yaye zonke zikwenza ube nethemba, kodwa ezinye zazo ziyaphikisana. Kodwa ubuya kwenza ntoni xa ufumanisa ukuba loo wotshi yenziwa ngomnye wabamelwane bakho okrelekrele kwiminyaka eliqela eyadlulayo? Ngapha koko, ufumanisa ukuba ukulungele ukukunceda ngaphandle kwentlawulo. Izicacele into obuya kuyenza, akunjalo?

Ngoku thelekisa le wotshi nokuba nethemba. Ukuba ufumanisa ukuba uphelelwa lithemba—njengabantu abaninzi abaphelelwe lithemba kweli xesha lizaliswe ziinkathazo—ubuya kubhenela kubani xa ufuna uncedo? Baninzi abantu abathembisa ukukunceda, kodwa amacebiso abo anokwenza ingqondo yakho ibethabethane yaye asenokuba ayaphikisana. Ngoko kutheni ungabheneli kuLowo wenza abantu banethemba? IBhayibhile ithi ‘akakude kuye ngamnye wethu’ yaye uzimisele ukusinceda.—IZenzo 17:27; 1 Petros 5:7.

Ingcaciso Enzulu Yethemba

Ingcaciso yethemba ekuthethwa ngalo eBhayibhileni iphangalele ngakumbi kunaleyo ixhaphakileyo phakathi koogqirha, izazinzulu noogqirha bengqondo banamhlanje. Amabinzana antlandlolo asetyenziswe eBhayibhileni aguqulelwe ngokuthi “ithemba” athetha ukulindela into entle ngolangazelelo olukhulu. Ngokusisiseko, ithemba libandakanya izinto ezimbini. Libandakanya umnqweno wento entle nesizathu sokukholelwa ukuba loo nto iza kwenzeka. Ithemba ekuthethwa ngalo eBhayibhileni asilophupha. Lisekelwe kwizibakala nobungqina obunokuthenjwa.

Ngokuphathelele le nkalo, ithemba liyafana nokholo, olumele lusekelwe kubungqina—kungekhona ukukholelwa kuyo yonk’ into. (Hebhere 11:1) Sekunjalo, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba kukho umahluko phakathi kokholo nethemba.—1 Korinte 13:13.

Ngokomzekelo: Xa ucela uncedo kumhlobo osenyongweni uba nethemba lokuba uya kukunceda. Uyamthemba umhlobo wakho kuba umazi kakuhle yaye ukhe wambona esenza ububele ngokupha abanye izinto. Ukholo nethemba ziyahambisana kodwa zahlukile. Unokulihlakulela njani ithemba elinjalo ngoThixo?

Isiseko Sethemba

UThixo ngumthombo wethemba lokwenene. Kumaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile uYehova wayebizwa ngokuba ‘lithemba likaSirayeli.’ (Yeremiya 14:8) Naliphi ithemba lokwenene ababenalo abakhonzi bakhe lalivela kuye; ngenxa yoko wayelithemba labo. Elo themba yayingekokuzithembisa nje ngento engenakwenzeka. UThixo wayebanike isizathu esivakalayo sokuba nelo themba. Kwiinkulungwane ezidluleyo wazenzela igama elihle ngokuzizalisekisa zonke izithembiso zakhe. UYoshuwa owayekhokela amaSirayeli wathi kuwo: “Niyazi kakuhle . . . ukuba akusilelanga nalinye ilizwi kuwo onke amazwi alungileyo uYehova uThixo wenu awathethileyo kuni.”—Yoshuwa 23:14.

Nangona kudlule amawaka eminyaka, usaqhubeka ezizalisekisa izithembiso zakhe. IBhayibhile iqulethe izithembiso zikaThixo ezimangalisayo nengxelo echanileyo ephathelele ukuzaliseka kwazo. Iziprofeto eziphathelele izithembiso zakhe zinokuthenjwa kangangokuba zide zibhalwe ngokungathi sele zizalisekile.

Kungenxa yeso sizathu le nto sinokuthi iBhayibhile yincwadi yethemba. Njengoko ufunda ngendlela uThixo awayeqhubana ngayo nabantu, uza kufumana izizathu ezingakumbi zokumthemba. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “Zonke izinto ezabhalwa kwixesha langaphambili zabhalelwa ukuyalela thina, ukuze ngonyamezelo lwethu nangentuthuzelo yeZibhalo sibe nethemba.”—Roma 15:4.

Yintoni Asithembisa Yona UThixo?

Liliphi ixesha esilifuna ngamandla ngalo ithemba? Ngaba akuxa sijamelene nokufa? Noko ke, kubantu abaninzi leli xesha kanye—xa befelwe ngumntu abamthandayo—abaphelelwa lithemba ngalo. Kakade ke, yintoni enokwenza umntu aphelelwe lithemba ngaphezu kokufelwa? Ukufa kuchaphazela wonke umntu. Sinokukuphepha kangangethuba elifutshane, kodwa xa sele kufikile, akukho nto sinokuyenza. Ngokufanelekileyo ke ngoko, iBhayibhile ithi ukufa ‘lutshaba lokugqibela.’—1 Korinte 15:26.

Ngoko, sinokuhlala njani sinethemba xa sifelwe? Kwale ndinyana yeBhayibhile ethi ukufa lutshaba lokugqibela iphinda ithi olu tshaba luya “kutshitshiswa.” UYehova uThixo unamandla ngaphezu kokufa. Uye wakungqina oku izihlandlo eziliqela. Njani? Ngokuvusa abantu abafileyo. IBhayibhile ichaza izihlandlo ezisithoba ezahlukahlukeneyo uThixo awasebenzisa ngazo amandla akhe waza wavusa abantu abafileyo.

Ngesihlandlo esikhethekileyo, uYehova wanika uNyana wakhe uYesu amandla okuvusa umhlobo wakhe uLazaro, owayesele eneentsuku ezine efile. UYesu akazange akwenze ekhusini oku, kodwa wakwenza phambi kwesihlwele esasibukele.—Yohane 11:38-48, 53; 12:9, 10.

Usenokuzibuza, ‘Kwakutheni ze kuvuswe abantu? Ngaba abazange baluphale baphinde bafe?’ Ewe baluphala baza bafa. Sekunjalo, ngenxa yeengxelo zovuko ezinokuthenjwa ezifana nale, asinamnqweno nje wokuba abantu abafileyo esibathandayo baphinde baphile; kodwa sinesizathu sokukholelwa ukuba baza kuphila. Ngamany’ amazwi, sinethemba lokwenene.

UYesu wathi: “Ndim uvuko nobomi.” (Yohane 11:25) UYehova uza kumnika amandla okuvusa abantu emhlabeni wonke. UYesu wathi: “Liyeza ilixa ekuya kuthi ngalo bonke abo bakumangcwaba enkumbulo balive ilizwi lakhe [uKristu] baze baphume.” (Yohane 5:28, 29) Ewe, bonke abo balele emangcwabeni banethemba lokuvuselwa ebomini kumhlaba oyiparadesi.

Umprofeti uIsaya waluchaza ngale ndlela ichukumisayo uvuko: “Abafileyo bakho baya kuphila, izidumbu zabo ziya kuvuka. Abo balele eluthulini baya kuvuka baze bamemelele ngovuyo; kuba umbethe wabo unjengombethe wemifuno, nomhlaba uya kubangela bazalwe kwanabo balele ekufeni.”—Isaya 26:19, The New English Bible.

Ngaba esi sithembiso asithuthuzeli? Abantu abafileyo bakweyona ndawo ikhuselekileyo sinokucinga ngayo, njengemveku ekhuselekileyo esibelekweni sikanina. Eneneni, uThixo onguSomandla ongenakuze alibale uyabakhumbula bonke abo baphumle emangcwabeni. (Luka 20:37, 38) Yaye kungekudala, baza kuvuswa baphile kwihlabathi elinabantu abonwabileyo ababalindele ngolangazelelo olukhulu kanye njengokuba imveku isamkelwa ngothando yintsapho! Ngoko sinokuba nethemba naxa sifelwe.

Indlela Elinokukunceda Ngayo Ithemba

UPawulos usifundisa izinto ezininzi ngokubaluleka kwethemba. Wathi ithemba liyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yesikrweqe sokomoya—isigcina-ntloko. (1 Tesalonika 5:8) Wayethetha ukuthini? Kaloku, ngamaxesha okubhalwa kweBhayibhile, ijoni lalinxiba isigcina-ntloko emfazweni, ngokuqhelekileyo phezu komnqwazi owenziwe ngewulu okanye ufele. Ngenxa yesi sigcina-ntloko, izinto zazibetheka nje entlokweni yalo zidlule, zingalibulali. Ngaba uPawulos wayezama ukuveza le ngongoma? Njengoko isigcina-ntloko sikhusela intloko, ithemba likhusela ingqondo, apho ziphuma khona zonke iingcinga. Ukuba unethemba lokwenene ngezinto ezivumelana nenjongo kaThixo, akufanelanga ube nexhala okanye udimazeke xa ujamelene neengxaki. Ngubani ongasifuniyo isigcina-ntloko esinjalo?

UPawulos waphinda wasebenzisa omnye umzekeliso ocacileyo xa wayebonisa ukuhlobana kwethemba nokuthanda kukaThixo. Wabhala: “Eli themba sinalo elifana neankile yomphefumlo, liqinisekile yaye liqinile.” (Hebhere 6:19) Ekubeni wayekhe waphukelwa yinqanawa izihlandlo eziliqela, uPawulos wayekwazi ukubaluleka kweankile. Xa kuvela isaqhwithi, oomatiloshe babedla ngokuphosa iankile yenqanawa elwandle. Ukuba ifike yabambelela enzulwini yolwandle, inqanawa yayinokusinda ingatyhalelwa elunxwemeni ize intlitheke ematyeni.

Ngokufanayo, ukuba izithembiso zikaThixo zisenza sibe nethemba ‘eliqinisekileyo neliqinileyo,’ elo themba linokusinceda sikwazi ukumelana neenkqwithela zala maxesha. UYehova uthembisa ukuba kungekudala ziza kuphela iimfazwe, ulwaphulo-mthetho, usizi kunye nokufa okuthwaxa abantu namhlanje. (Bona ibhokisi ekwiphepha 18.) Ukubambelela kwelo themba kuya kusinceda siphephe iingxaki, kusishukumisele ukuba siphile ngemilinganiselo kaThixo kunokuba sinikezele kweli hlabathi likavula-zibhuqe lizaliswe kukuziphatha okubi.

UYehova ufuna nawe ube nelo themba. Ufuna unandiphe ubomi kanye ngale ndlela wayefuna abantu baphile ngayo. Umnqweno wakhe kukuba “zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe.” Njani? Okokuqala, mntu ngamnye umele ‘afikelele elwazini oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.’ (1 Timoti 2:4) Abapapashi balo lindixesha bakukhuthaza ukuba ungenise ulwazi olukhokelela ebomini oluphathelele inyaniso yeLizwi likaThixo. Ithemba oya kulifumana kuThixo libhetele kunalo naliphi na ithemba onokulifumana kweli hlabathi.

Xa unelo themba, akukho mfuneko yokuba uzive ungenamandla, kuba uThixo uya kukunika amandla okwenza nantoni na ofuna ukuyenza evumelana nokuthanda kwakhe. (2 Korinte 4:7; Filipi 4:13) Ngaba eli asilothemba olifunayo? Ngoko, ukuba ufuna ukuba nelo themba yaye kudala ulifuna, ungapheli mandla. Elo themba liyafumaneka. Kwaye nawe unokuba nalo!

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Izizathu Zokuba Nethemba

Ezi ngcamango zisekelwe eZibhalweni zinokukunceda uhlakulele ithemba:

◼ UThixo uthembisa ulonwabo kwikamva.

ILizwi lakhe lithi umhlaba uya kuba yiparadesi ehlala abantu abonwabileyo nabamanyeneyo.—INdumiso 37:11, 29; Isaya 25:8; ISityhilelo 21:3, 4.

◼ UThixo akanakuxoka.

Uluthiyile naluphi na uhlobo lokuxoka. UYehova ungcwele okanye akanakwenza mpazamo, ngoko akanako ukuxoka.—IMizekeliso 6:16-19; Isaya 6:2, 3; Tito 1:2; Hebhere 6:18.

◼ UThixo unamandla angenakuphela.

UYehova unguSomandla. Akukho nto inokwenza angazizalisekisi izithembiso zakhe.—Eksodus 15:11; Isaya 40:25, 26.

◼ UThixo ufuna uphile ngonaphakade.

—Yohane 3:16; 1 Timoti 2:3, 4.

◼ UThixo unethemba ngathi.

Ujonga iimpawu ezintle nemigudu yethu kungekhona iimpazamo esizenzayo. (INdumiso 103:12-14; 130:3; Hebhere 6:10) Unethemba lokuba siya kwenza okulungileyo yaye uyavuya xa sikwenza.—IMizekeliso 27:11.

◼ UThixo uthembisa ukukunceda uphile ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo yobuthixo.

Abakhonzi bakhe abafanele nangaliphi na ixesha baphelelwe lithemba. UThixo uyabanceda esebenzisa umoya wakhe oyingcwele onamandla ukodlula nantoni na.—Filipi 4:13.

◼ Umntu othembele kuThixo akanakuze aphoxeke.

Unokumthemba ngokupheleleyo akanakuze akuphoxe.—INdumiso 25:3.

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

Njengoko isigcina-ntloko sikhusela intloko, ithemba likhusela ingqondo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

Njengeankile, ithemba elisekelwe kwizinto ezinokuthenjwa linokusenza siqine

[Inkcazelo]

Courtesy René Seindal/Su concessione del Museo Archeologico Regionale A. Salinas di Palermo