What does your name mean? I always wanted my name to mean something greatly spiritual. As it turns out it doesn’t. Jabez was given the name “Pain,” by his mom after he was born. Most of us have been called “a pain” by older siblings or friends. But this was Jabez’s name. Every time his mom called him, she reminded him of the pain he caused her. He could have let that name become his identity. Instead, he prayed.
Much has been written about Jabez’s prayer as an example of how to get God to give you more. Some read a book and thought it meant that they could use prayer to get God to make them rich or successful. This seems to me to miss the point. What can we learn from Jabez? First, we notice that out of his painful childhood he cried out to God. This is more than just learning to “say grace.” Like Jacob wrestling by the Jabbok river, Jabez asked God to bless him. He wanted a larger border and he wanted to avoid pain. God answered his prayer.
Does this mean that all Christians should pray this prayer to become more successful? No. God did not spare his son’s pain but used Jesus’ suffering to save all who believe in him. Likewise, Paul, following in Jesus’ steps, suffered from a thorn in the flesh. Three times he asked God to remove it. Three times, God responded, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
If God always takes away every pain in our lives, I wonder who we will become. Only as we surrender to God’s purpose in pain do we discover the sufficiency of God’s grace and power. It is fair to pray that we will not feel pain, but God is not obligated to answer that prayer. On the other hand, we might pray that we will not be a pain or thorn in the side of others. This seems like a prayer God will be sure to answer and honor.
