1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (KJV)
9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

There are times when we are labeled. Jabez was given a life long label through his name. The name Jabez means sorrowful. He brought his mother pain and sorrow. He countered this by asking GOD to help him to not live up to his name. When we pray with the right attitude of heart in humility GOD gives us grace. “Grace humble”.

When we are born again by the Spirit of GOD we are as it says in “2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Whatever label we used to have is gone. GOD makes it all new.

Therefore be encouraged today that GOD made everything new in our life. The old is gone and the new has arrived in our conversion. Now we (our character/soul) are progressively sanctified, that is transformed to the way GOD intends us to be. We can and should call on the LORD just like Jabez prayed to be transformed more and more to no more life up to the negative label that was given to us by events in the past. Let us not live up to the labels people give us but live up to what GOD has said about us. For example:

• “1 Corinthians 3:9 (NKJV) For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.”,
• “1 Corinthians 3:16 (NKJV) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”,
• “1 Corinthians 12:27 (NKJV) Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”,
• “Galatians 3:26-29 (NKJV) For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. [27] For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [29] And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”,
• “Galatians 4:6-7 (NKJV) And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” [7] Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”,
• “Ephesians 2:18-22 (NKJV) For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. [19] Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, [20] having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, [21] in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, [22] in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”,
• “Ephesians 5:8-10 (NKJV) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light [9] (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), [10] finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.”,
• “Colossians 2:10-13 (NKJV) and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. [11] In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, [12] buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. [13] And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,”,
• “1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 (NKJV) But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. [5] You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. [6] Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”,
• “1 Peter 3:14 (NKJV) But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “AND DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEIR THREATS, NOR BE TROUBLED.””,
• “1 John 4:4 (NKJV) You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”.