7 PRAY TO HURT NO ONE.

And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

     —1 Chron. 4:10

Our blessing never comes as an expense to others. God doesn’t steal from others to give to us. Our prosperity does not rob others of what they need. God gives to us out of His abundance not from other’s poverty.

But out of our abundance we may cause pain. We may use what we have to curse rather than bless others. Instead of being blessed to be a blessing, we can choose to hoard, hurt and harm others with our wealth.

Pray that whatever you profess or possess will not pain others. Paul interceded for the Corinthians, “I pray to God that you do no evil” (2 Cor. 13:7).

Pray that your blessing never becomes your bane. Ask God to grant you a full pound of humility with every ounce of prosperity.

Pray to give that you might receive instead of praying to get that you might give. Givers are in constant need of more to give while “getters” are in constant need of ways to store what they hoard. The rich man built barns to store his possessions and met an early demise (Luke 12). The widow gave all she had and garnered the praise of the Savior (Mark 12).

Should you discover that you have hurt another, causing pain, or creating lack in their lives, pray for a willingness to restore sevenfold (Prov. 6:30–31).

Lord,

Shape my life into a vessel of pouring… pouring out blessing, pouring out kindness and gentleness, pouring out praise, pouring out love, pouring out healing and hope.

May I never cause others pain or hurt. but if I should, bring me to quick repentance and a generous willingness to restore sevenfold. Amen.