Jabez also said he wanted God's hand to be with him so “that thou wouldest keep me from evil...” (I Chronicles 4:10 [KJV]). Jabez's negative attitude towards life (which was influenced by his negative thinking) attracted him to evil. Jabez's fear of pain attracted him to the very thing that he feared, as in Job's case (Job 3:25; 9:28). Do you know why? Fear is faith in the devil. Fear activates the devil's ability to operate in your life. Faith in God does the same thing. Jabez's life was so filled with negativity, pain, and fear that a cloud of despair, hopelessness, and despondency attracted the evil that he did not want in his own life. So when he asked God's hand to be with him, Jabez knew that wherever God is no evil or pain could dwell there because “at [God's] right hand there are pleasures forevermore [and not pain]” (Psalms 16:11 [New English Bible]).

When someone called Jabez's name it was a devastating blow to his psyche and self-esteem. The self-rejection and low self-esteem was attached to that pain. The pain spoken over his life, I could imagine, caused him to feel worthless and empty. I felt the same way. The pain of self-rejection and worthlessness plagued my life. Some of my family members made it appear as if I would not amount to much. They did not believe that I could become anything. But God gave me a fighting chance. God allowed me to see myself as He saw me instead of how others did. The Jabez formula for success was just the beginning for me. It was my starting point for bouncing back from low expectations, low self-esteem, and self-rejection. It was the launching of my comeback from my setbacks.