Word of Encouragement (08/21/2024)

Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” And God granted what he asked. (1 Chron. 4:10)

The third petition is “that you would keep me from harm [or evil]....” It is our instinct to avoid harm. So, it is only natural that Jabez should pray this prayer. The question is what we mean by “harm”

Certain things are pleasurable but harmful in the end. Think about mindlessly surfing the Internet for hours on end instead of studying or working. Think about eating too much food or too much sweets. Think about getting high on drugs. Other things are unpleasant at the moment but yield good things. When we exercise strenuously, our muscles get torn up, but that is how we get stronger. When there is a wildfire in the mountains, it makes the soil fertile. Hardships are painful, but they produce resilience. Self-discipline is hard, but it builds character.

So, it makes us wonder what Jabez meant by “harm.” It is only natural to pray for protection from difficulties and adversities. Nobody likes to go through them. Some of them are just too painful to bear. Because Jabez lived in the Old Testament era, which was a time of pictures and shadows, his prayer might have expressed his desire for earthly good and fear of earthly harm. But, at the same time, we know deep inside that what we consider to be harmful can serve as a bitter medicine for healing.

Think also about our prayers for “good” things. I’m sure you have seen the following somewhere:

“I asked for strength
and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom
and God gave me problems to learn to solve.
I asked for prosperity
and God gave me a brain and brawn to work.
I asked for courage
and God gave me dangers to overcome.
I asked for love
and God gave me people to help.
I asked for favours
and God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted.
I received everything I needed.”

It seems that the good things we want often come only through tough challenges and unbearable adversities. So, we should not expect God, who loves us, to shield us from all earthly harm. Instead, we should pray that God would spare us from things that harm us spiritually—namely, the things that lead us astray from God and His goodwill. This is not to say that we should pray for suffering and pain. But we should not question God’s goodness and grow resentful toward Him when hardships come. May we treasure God’s presence more than any worldly goods!

‍