Lessons from the faith of Jabez

“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.”

There is the story of a man whose life was described in not more than two or three verses in the Scriptures but whose story has brought forth many books and challenged many lives to great accomplishments. I am talking about

the man whose mother called him sorrow because of her experience during childbirth, I mean Jabez.

“And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”

The faith lesson we see here is that faith doesn’t accept any negative situation as the final. Jabez got to the place when he said no to what his life has turned out to be because of the curse of his mother. It did not matter that no member of his family has seen greatness, he reached out to God in faith and God granted him his request. 

Jabez’s latter end became different and better than his beginning. A man who was called sorrow and walked in it for a while was described as being more honourable than his brethren. You too can have a change in your story, or in some cases a better story than you have had so far. All that is required is that you are persuaded you can have a better life and then reach out to God. Don’t accept any negative situation as final.