Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain. Jabez cried out to the God of Israel. “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
1 Chronicles 4:9-10
Do you know what I love most about Jabez? He fought against the name of his youth with prayer.
We all have things in our past: things we’ve done, names people have called us, situations done to us, and things we’ve been brought into. Each of these can form grooves in our lives that can stay with us forever if they’ve never been dealt with.
Most of the time these things haven’t been dealt with because they were either hidden secrets from our childhood, pride telling us we’re fine, being told to sweep it under the rug, or we decide leave it in the closet. Then all that is hidden, all that hurts down deep, comes festering up in our adulthood like a disease that feels uncurable.
I’m sure Jabez felt this, but Jabez was honorable, and instead of trying to drown his pain with other things, he cried out to God. Jabez asked for multiple things in his prayer but truly the most significant was freedom from pain. Freedom from his NAME. Freedom from the past that tried to hurt him and hold him there. And God granted his request.
Oh, if we were all to go to God in prayer over all that holds us down or holds us back, for all that causes our pain, what a difference God can make in our lives and the lives of those around us. The ripple effect would be great, one to another, reaching the world. Isn’t our world really the way it is because hurting people hurt people?
And I’m praying this prayer because I know there are some undealt with pains in my past that are beginning to come to the surface. And I know that because of Jesus, he wants to heal all those hurts, he desires to fill me with abundant joy, life, love, and peace.
When we pray to God in Jesus name, he hears us and answers us, Just like Jabez! He will heal all our wounds, he will take all of our burdens, and he will give us rest from our pain.
Are you dealing with past hurts, childhood trauma or drama? Stop burying it, stop keeping it hidden, and give it to God by going to God in prayer.
Running 2 Fly 