Google's search engine, when using the phrase "the prayer of Jabez" returns 289,000 results in a brief .42 seconds. A lot has been discussed, debated, and argued over this small prayer from 1 Chronicles 10:4. No doubt some also question the credibility of the concept surrounding the book entitled by the same name written by Bruce Wilkinson. When reading the prayer from my own personal scripture reading recently I came across an insight worthy of debunking the use of the prayer.
"He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!' And God granted him his request." 1 Chronicles 10:4 (NLT)
Most of the interest in the prayer stems from the concept of Jabez asking God to bless and expand his territory. At that point in history land was seen as a crucial identifier of a males' value to his family and society. Similarly this concept has been extrapolated out to mean the expansion of one's spiritual borders, physical borders, or even increased opportunities for ministry or financial prosperity. What I find most troubling though, is the connotation that one can treat God like a vending machine. If you put in a quarter, then out will pop the same amount of candy every time. There are principles God operates by but in the words of C.S. Lewis, "He's not a tame lion" and I daresay he is not prone to predictability in how He answers our prayers.
The insight I stumbled upon is built around the phrase "keep me from all trouble and pain" (some versions use the term "evil"). When I think back on prayers in my own life I can identify with the sentiment, so I can't blame Jabez for verbalizing his desire. Then again, I'm not sure Jabez knew what he was actually asking for. It sounds a lot like, "I don't want to experience anything which is difficult, painful, or which may be detrimental to me or my family." In other words, I don't want to experience suffering of any kind.
Suffering is not one of those subjects one takes lightly. It weighs heavily on both those going through it and for those who are helping the sufferers bear their pain (Galatians 6:2). I think of the Parker family during this difficult time and my role as one seeking to help bear their burdens from a distance through prayer. My heart breaks as I can only imagine the pain of what they are experiencing.
Turning back to what Jabez was really asking, in the midst of suffering is when Christians experience the palpable sweetness of the presence of Jesus in a way which cannot be compared to anything else. There is something about someone who is in the midst of suffering that acts as a magnet on God (something I can't explain, but I know we have all felt). As Psalm 34 reminds us:
"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psa. 34:18 (NIV)
I think back to the death of my friend and mentor Andrew Murray and remember it as a time of suffering. Suffering not only for me, but also to see his family grieve. Nevertheless, in the midst of the suffering, Jesus was there! I can't even explain the comfort and peace God gave as a result of that difficult experience. Suffering may not be a pleasant experience but it is one that brings us closer to God, and God closer to us.
So think again the next time you're tempted to pray the Prayer of Jabez. Would you really like to ask God to remove all suffering and difficult things from your life? As you look back at the times of suffering in your own life, consider the lessons you've been taught and the way God has still been at work. You need not pray for suffering because it will find you (fact). You needn't pray the Prayer of Jabez because through suffering you are brought closer to God.
#Jabez #suffering #prayer #BruceWilkinson #prayerofJabez
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