The prayer of Jabez is familiar to most Bible readers. In fact there was a movment revolving around his prayer to “enlarge his territory.” This was not necessarily a bad thing, as the body of Christ as a whole need to enlarge their vision and their grasp – we too often settle for far less than our potential portion. The passage of scripture that includes this prayer, includes more than just a request for more land (which could be translated to include increase of any kind). As we take a look at 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 we see something very important to one who desires an increase in position:
9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.
Jabez was named such because his birth was painful for his mother. Living in an era where people understood that their name had a mandate – Jabez did not want to live under an edict of causing pain – so we see that with his desire for blessings of increase, there was an equal desire to be kept from evil that he might not cause pain!
Whether our name defines our faults and weaknesses or not, each of us have them. As we seek God for our desired increase, whatever that might be, it is essential that we also ask God to prepare us for that increase. We never want to be in a position where we have advanced beyond the ability of our character to keep us.
Much of the moral failure that we see in leaders today stems from a rapid advance in position due to gifts and callings (that are without repentance), without going thorugh the school of the Holy Spirit to allow Him to prepare them for that advancement. In this microwave age that we live in, we so often feel like we don’t have the time to sit on the backside of a desert forty years like Moses, or “wait” upon our promisesd leadership position like David.
None of us have been this way before, being led by the Holy Splirit and continually living in His presence may not prevent us from ever having failures, but it will sure buffet the fall and speed up the healing of any bruises!
Selah,
Maria