More Than We Can Handle
I Corinthians 10:13b
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
This verse is so very often taken out of context and used to the discouragement of those who are struggling and suffering. How many times have you heard someone say, “God will not give you more than you can handle?” Maybe you have even said it yourself, I know I often said this when I was a young Christian. The fact is that sometimes we do have more than we can handle! This verse is the one often referenced when people make that statement. But LOOK at what it really says! It says the Lord will not let us be TEMPTED beyond our ability. It does not speak to circumstances of life, it speaks to temptation. Sometimes our circumstances are more than we can handle. What a discouragement to tell someone in the midst of overwhelming circumstances that they CAN handle it. There are things that are too much for us but nothing is too much for our great God!
So then when in these overwhelming circumstances what temptations arise? We are often tempted to become angry with God, grow bitter, give up, curse others. But these sinful temptations are not more than we are able to overcome. God provides a way of escape. That escape is God himself. Rather than indulging in the temptations of wrong responses we can cry out to the Lord of Creation and he will help. Often times God allows circumstances beyond our ability to bring us to a place of greater dependence upon him rather than relying on ourselves, others, or our societal system.
When in overwhelming circumstances ourselves or when we see someone drowning in their circumstances. Rather than using the phrase, “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle,” deceiving and discouraging them or or ourselves, we should be saying, “Cry out to the Lord for strength to endure and a possible rescue! Cry out to God! He alone is our rock, our refuge, our strength, our shield, our hope and our salvation! Praise be to God! May he be glorified!”
Posted in Christianity, Encouragement, hope
April 30th, 2008 at 3:19 am
I really enjoyed your take on this verse. I have never looked at it in that way. Though I do think that the other way is also a valid way of looking at it. I have never taken it as a discouragement and really even things we don’t thing we can make it thru while we are going thru them we do make it thru it and are stronger than we were before. So I think it can be used both ways. Just my opinion.
April 30th, 2008 at 5:42 am
Thank you so much for this post! I have often said that, to myself and to others. It is so very interesting to see a different perspective on it, one that is based in Biblical truth and not just a catch-phrase.
April 30th, 2008 at 5:48 am
Very true and you expressed it very well. Thank you for those thoughts.
~ Beth
April 30th, 2008 at 7:08 am
“God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
Thank you!
He always helps me endure, and I worry less for His assurance.
April 30th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Virtually everything that God gives us is more than we can handle because He wants to reveal Himself to us, and to others through us. God desires that relationship with us and delights in guiding us to those things that are best for us and glorify Him. We all too often fail to give Him control of the situation and a mess ensues.
Some trials are indeed more difficult than others. In fact, we can expect to be put through the refiners fire, and those may be the most difficult encounters. If we fail to trust Him early is such a situation, it can indeed become overwhelming very quickly.
Lord help me in times of my unbelief. My faith is not always sufficient to trust you in every situation.
April 30th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Thank you, I needed to hear that today.
Blessings,
Julie
May 1st, 2008 at 5:38 am
Thanks for stopping by my blog to see how we are doing. We are all doing well. Our baby girl is doing really well!! She’s so cute and such a blessing! Things are busier around the house but I think we are slowly getting into a semi-routine.
I was tickled to have almost 8 hours of sleep last night!
Hope all is going well for you all. Thanks again for checking in on us! It means a lot!
Take care,
Karen
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/salt
May 1st, 2008 at 3:41 pm
How true. When I think of something like losing a spouse or a child, I know it would be more than I can handle. But for me this verse, or others like it, convince me that God would gift me with the ability to handle it ONLY WHEN IT HAPPENS. I don’t need that gift right now. But I’ve seen people go through that that God meets their needs in the midst of that, despite the fact that the pain is more intense than I could ever imagine.
THanks for weighing in about my curtains!
TTYS – Sniz