What Do You Want?

‘…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 Chro.4:10

The third thing we can learn from Jabez is that he articulated what he wanted. He must have sat down and thought through what he wanted from God before going to God. For some of us when it is time to make the request, we stand before God but we cannot say anything. Yet when you are out of there the problem persists. Jabez articulated what he wanted. Some people have issues with asking God to bless them, or actually realizing that they are blessed. ‘Enlarge my coast – bless me and make me a blessing. Increase my sphere of influence’. Jabez was not just focused on himself alone. He wanted to be a blessing to others. ‘…keep me from all trouble and pain!’ This was his final request from God. The same things that had troubled him all his life, he was asking God to go correct from his very foundations. We have to be clear in our prayer requests when we stand before God. I encourage you get a book where you write down what you want God to do for you this season. Don’t come up with a list of 50 things that you do not really need. What do you want? You have to be clear and write it down. When you go into your devotion time with God, take it with you and place it before God daily. Be clear! It’s amazing how God expects us to be clear even when our needs are evident to God. God already knows but the way of God is that you are also clear on what you want. ‘What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked’ Mark 10:51. With Bartimaeus Jesus still had to ask him what he wanted even though everybody could see that he was a blind beggar. Some might think the question is ridiculous but the truth is that it is not. Bartimaeus could have asked for money and Jesus would have put Judas in charge of settling him. He could have asked for a change in his social status and Jesus could have granted him that. But Bartimaeus like Jabez went to the root of his problem ‘My rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!’. For Jabez it was pain and sorrow.

Thought: Take time out to articulate what you want God to do for you in this season of your life and prayerfully take it to God.