Not only did Jabez have great ambition, he had a growing faith and a deep trust in God. He had enough faith to pray and expect an answer. There’s no mention of Jabez having any special ability or talent. The Bible doesn’t say he was wealthy or educated. We can often be worried that we’re not good enough or that we don’t have the right gifts or skills to be used by God. But if we have faith then we don’t need to worry. God will give us the necessary power. He loves to use ordinary people who are willing to trust Him. We’re all given different gifts and we all have different callings. But it’s God who equips us. His hand is with us. In the Hebrew language ‘Jabez’ means ‘painful’ or ‘sorrow’. Jabez caused his mother so much grief during childbirth that she named him Sorrow. Having a name like that may have made him feel unwanted and unloved. But that didn’t stop him looking towards the future and asking God for great things. His mother may have named him Sorrow, but in the Bible He’s called honourable. Some of us may have had words spoken over us that are actually lies. We may have been called names that aren’t the names God gives us. We may be in a challenging time right now or may be struggling to move on from something that’s happened in our past. Those things don’t disqualify us from God’s calling. And they don’t prevent us from being able to ask God for great things. Jesus said, ‘Everything is possible for him who believes’ (Mark 9:23 NIV). So let’s look to the future and ask God for amazing things to come from our lives.

What Now?

Write down anything that’s been said about you which does not fit with what God says about you. Shred the paper as a sign you’re not letting the lies hold you back from the future God has for you.