Too, Too Much?
We've probably all said it - or at least felt it...
"God never gives us more than we can handle."
But...see...that's not in the Bible. In fact, I think that's actually counter to what the Bible really says, isn't it? Don't we all the time really get a whole lot more than we can handle? I know I sure do. How does a 13 year old hear that his father has leukemia? How is that not too much to handle? A text from a friend who was watching someone he loved getting chemo...and it was overwhelming. Sitting in a pew with a young lady who is just destroyed over messy relationships and deeply hurt by how people who are supposed to love each other treat each other.
How is any of that not too much to handle?
Here's what we miss in that idea. God allows all kinds of stuff that's too much for us to handle...on our own. You remember what He said to Paul? "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I know somebody wants to quote 1 Corinthians 10:13 "And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." But we miss the context there - the next statement Paul makes is: "But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
God will provide a way out. God. It's not too much to bear...with God. Alone? Yeah, probably. And don't miss that the larger context there is temptation - sin. Not the "stuff of life" burdens that we usually associate with the "God won't give us too much to handle" notion.
What do you think?
"God never gives us more than we can handle."
But...see...that's not in the Bible. In fact, I think that's actually counter to what the Bible really says, isn't it? Don't we all the time really get a whole lot more than we can handle? I know I sure do. How does a 13 year old hear that his father has leukemia? How is that not too much to handle? A text from a friend who was watching someone he loved getting chemo...and it was overwhelming. Sitting in a pew with a young lady who is just destroyed over messy relationships and deeply hurt by how people who are supposed to love each other treat each other.
How is any of that not too much to handle?
Here's what we miss in that idea. God allows all kinds of stuff that's too much for us to handle...on our own. You remember what He said to Paul? "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I know somebody wants to quote 1 Corinthians 10:13 "And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." But we miss the context there - the next statement Paul makes is: "But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
God will provide a way out. God. It's not too much to bear...with God. Alone? Yeah, probably. And don't miss that the larger context there is temptation - sin. Not the "stuff of life" burdens that we usually associate with the "God won't give us too much to handle" notion.
What do you think?
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