When I ask for divine blessing I receive significant spiritual, personal, and professional growth! Therefore, ask big to get multiplication!
Jabez asked God to dramatically bless him by multiplying his personal and professional capabilities. First Chronicles 4.10 paraphrase
The Precept Explained
Where I start isn’t the issue – it’s where I finish up!
In regard to personal and professional growth, it’s not who I was, or who am today that matters.
Actually, who I’m becoming is what returns long-term dividends! That’s the multiplication principle at work in me.
I give multiplication a chance to occur when I develop persistence in the face of life challenges.
For example, I’m a first-generation college student who in a mid-career transition received a Ph.D. Later, for a portion of my professional life, I was the dean of a business school.
I have personally experienced the abundant blessings of divine multiplication in my life!
Ask Big
Apparently, Jabez got off to a difficult start in life. His mother called him “sorrowful.” Ugh!
Despite that challenge, Jabez developed a growth mindset. Jabez asked God to bless him by allowing him to grow beyond his present boundaries – – “enlarge my coast…”.
Jabez asked God to help him grow beyond his current physical borders. Therefore, Jabez was asking to move past his existing capacity, both personally and professionally.
Sound Character
We know that Jabez was “more honorable” according to First Chronicles 4.9. Thus, he was a person of sound character. That good character was built on top of a deeply spiritual nature.
Likewise, both Samuel, 1 Samuel 9.6, and David, 1 Samuel 22.14 were also called honorable, indicating their greatness.
My Comfort Zone
It’s OK to ask to be pushed outside my comfort zone!
This prayer of Jabez is an early example of expressing a strong desire to develop professionally and personally.
Along with that growth, Jabez requested and received divine guidance (“hand with me”) and protection (“keep me from harm”).
If the Lord enlarges your coast as He promised … Deuteronomy 19.8 paraphrase
How did Jabez grow? How did his life turn out? Well, we don’t know. We do know that “God granted his request.” Thus, he got what he asked for!
Leadership Insight
For a leader and a person of faith, the story of Jabez offers several practical leadership insights.
Obviously, you don’t get what you don’t ask for! However, be careful what you ask for!
Most importantly, I conclude that it’s perfectly acceptable to ask God to guide me in developing my reflective, decision making, and leadership capabilities.
I should build out those capabilities in the ways God desires and for the purposes He determines.
What else can I learn from this 3000-year old story? I learn that personal growth is built on top of heart desire. However, I must carefully choose my dominant passion.
Apply This Today!
The most productive, highest-return, life growth is built on the sound foundation that comes from divine guidance as expressed in the universal precepts.
So, ask God wisely and receive abundantly! Ask Big! Ask for multiplication!
It’s reasonable for a person of faith to ask God for growth. Likewise, I can expect personal and professional growth to occur as a result of that deep heart desire.
What do you think? Send me a comment: larrydaleyoung@gmail.com