Pray Hopefully

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 Chronicles 4:10

If this prayer was not written down in God's Word, I wonder if we would hear it as selfish and arrogant? "Bless me and enlarge my border." And then to add insult to the injury, he prayed God would bless his goal. "That your hand might be with me." I wonder if some would consider this an abuse of prayer? But notice that God honored his goal and prayer and provided for him.

So what will you do? Will you set an ambitious goal this year and announce it to the world regardless of what they think? Will you dare pray for it, and ask God boldly to fulfill it, even when it feels a little theologically challenging? Don't arrest the adventure of discovering what God might do through a man who establishes audacious goals for his life.

DO THIS: Establish a spiritual goal and ask God to fulfill it.

PRAYER: God, this year my heart really wants to ______________. Will you bless me and enlarge this goal. I pray that your hand will be with me and that you quiet the people that might oppose me and keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain.