"Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying: Because I bore him in pain. 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" ~I Chron 4:9-10

You may have heard about the prayer of Jabez. There are only 2 short verses about this little known character in the Bible. There are excellent books and devotionals written about him & this powerful prayer. As we begin to break this down, the first and last phrases stand out: "He was more honorable than all his brothers...So God granted him what he requested." Our first lesson, for God to answer our prayers, we have to remain honorable in His eyes. Choosing the high road, even when it's difficult. Being men and women of integrity.
I've been reading a book lately that gives one of the best descriptions of integrity: Its not what you appear to be when everyone is around, but who you are when no one is looking. A level of morality you never fall below no matter what's happening around you. High standard of honesty, truthfulness, decency & honor that's never breached, His goal is to please God....wow.....our goal is to please God. This is the key that unlocks His blessings, our answered prayers.