Increase: Blessed in 5 More Ways

Did you all ever hear of the prayer of Jabez? He's only mentioned once in the Bible. His name is smack dab in the middle of a list of genealogy. It's like the Holy Spirit was having the writer of Chronicles list a bunch of names, and when he got to Jabez, he stops and says, "Oh, I gotta tell you about Jabez ..."

9 There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. 10 He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, “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 Chronicles 4:9-10 NLT

and then he goes back to listing.

In the year 2000, Bruce Wilkinson wrote a book about the prayer of Jabez and everyone began to pray that same prayer. I'll admit, I was one of those that participated.

It seems such a simple little prayer. It could be summed up as, "Bless me, expand my territory and increase my impact, be with me in everything, and keep me from pain." Seems like Jabez asked for a lot and God granted it.

When I prayed it, I have to admit I honed in with laser-like intensity on the "expand my territory," and "keep me from trouble and pain," parts.

Twenty years later, I'm reflecting on that prayer and on what has happened so far.

Blessed? Yes!

Territory expanded and impact increased? Yes! (What that meant for me was more areas of ministry - a mixed blessing. More opportunities for God to use me - but, more work!)

Is He with me in all I do? Yes! He has never left me or forsaken me.

Kept from all trouble and pain? Well ... I don't know if that one can be fully answered until I've finished my journey. I totally believe there were many times the enemy wanted to hurt me, and God prevented it. 

What I can say is this: "I've had troubling times and painful happenings. Yet, every time God helped me through them, and it turned out okay."

Today is Friday, the day I set aside to reflect on finding 5 blessings in my week. I was thinking about how God has increased so many things in my life in the 20 years since I prayed that prayer.

1. My family has increased!

May the Lord give you increase more and more,You and your children. Psalm 115:14 New King James Version (NKJV)

Twenty years ago, we had three children - a great blessing for which we had prayed. Today, we have added two sons-in-law and three grandchildren. Definitely an increase. Our family table has expanded.

2. Our children's homes have increased. Now they have households of their own. God has blessed them with health, employment and homes of their own. Just this week, the Lord blessed in helping our oldest find a new-to-her vehicle that fulfilled all the things on her wish-list. Also, I got to take a day off and go with her and her dad to pick it up, so I'm thankful for earned time off.

3. My ministry has increased. Twenty years ago, I was 4 years in to my career as a ministry assistant. I would never have guessed the paths the Lord has led me in: working in an additional church, becoming a board member and in leadership in my home church, becoming an adult bible study teacher, a worship team member and leader (something I would never on my own have chosen), a blogger and now a writer. In all these things, my aim is to share the joy God gives me and encourage others.

4. He has increased my love of scripture! I am more enthusiastic about being in the Word than ever. Currently, my two passions are discovering all I can about the last generation and end-time prophecy, and my study on the biblical concept of covenant love (or hesed).

Here is a beautiful word discovered just this week in my studies about what God's faithful people can expect.

Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! Psalm 85:10 NLT

I want all those things, don't you?

5. Four days of sunshine in a row! I keep track of the weather in my little bullet journal and God has graciously granted sunshine - and daffodils! One of the church members where I work always brings me a handful of daffodils to put on my desk every year when she first sees them springing up in her yard.

It brightens my day so much!

How has YOUR week went? Has God increased you with blessings to share? Leave a comment, or consider linking up your own post to the community at Friday's Fave Five.

I'm also linking up with Grace&Truth.

This is post #25 of my "Walk the Walk Christian Living Series," written from the perspective of a recovering perfectionist. You can go here to see the links of each post as they go live.