Devotional for 10/20/13
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
Even that can seem untrue, especially to those who deal with addictions. How can that be when we give in to temptations all the time? After all, we are all sinful human beings. However, addicts who go through the 12 steps start by admitting they really CAN'T handle it - on their own, that only GOD can help them and that they must turn their whole life over to Him. But that also applies to everyone, to all of our darkest moments - that if we turn it all over to God, HE can handle it. So I often tell those who repeat that phrase that they forgot the rest - that God never gives us more than we can handle WITH HIS HELP. Or I like to totally rephrase it as "God never gives us more than HE can handle!" When we do experience extreme difficulties in life, they can help us turn back to God, to trust him fully to handle it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z29olPjFbqg
Sometimes life becomes overwhelming. Stressors build up, support disappears or was never there, a way out seems dim or nonexistent. It is in times like these when we cry out, "I can't handle it anymore!"
Sometimes someone then says, "God never gives you more than you can handle." That can feel as though the person has no idea how overwhelmed and hopeless you feel. You feel as though your grief or struggles are negated. It ranks right up there with "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps" or "It could be worse," when all you can see is darkness. What you want is understanding and empathy for where you are, confirmation that you are in a dire position. Perhaps you think maybe God shouldn't trust you so much to think you can handle it.
The truth is, that phrase, "God never gives us more than we can handle" isn't even in the Bible. It has just been repeated so many times that many believe it is written there. The closest phrase in the Bible to that is:
"... We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us..." 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (NIV)
written by Jan Andersen
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Here is a song for today filled with hope for times of challenge,
"Overcomer" sung by Mandisa
This devotional is filled with truth. It is in the difficult valleys we learn to grow and to trust in God. The enemy would like us to give up and let adversity just pull us down. It might take a while for us to get to where we CAN HANDLE a challenge,but if we trust Him and lean on him these times will pass. Thank you Jan.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jan...I too, always thought that was a bible based saying! Thanks for enlightening many of us! Have a blessed day in the Lord and I hope you are doing well! Love you, my dear Sis!
ReplyDeleteI myself thought it was in the Bible until a couple years ago. The general idea is almost correct! We have to be careful how we try to support people who are hurting. I used to want to hand people Kleenex and tell them it will all be ok in the end. I still have to stop myself and first GRIEVE with them, then ask how I can be of help, before jumping in to try to "fix it" with a pat phrase.
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