There is a saying that I've heard frequently since I started following Christ: "God will never give you more than you can handle". Is this true? There is a verse that says, "God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able" (1 Cor 10:13). But this verse is talking about God giving us a way of escape from temptations. So, will God give us more than we can handle? I say yes. Consider this:
2 Corinthians 1:8-10--- "...we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us..."
So God brought something into Paul's life that was "above strength". Why? So that he would not trust in himself but "in God Who raises the dead".
If I'm training a powerlifter who can lift 350 pounds, and I only give him 135 pounds to squat, he doesn't need me. I would just be sitting there counting reps. But, if I give that powerlifter 375 pounds to squat, now he needs me to help him. He may not realize he needs me until he gets under the weight and it feels too heavy. God does this...He gives us things that are above our strength so that we will trust Him and cry out to Him for help.
By the way: Humility...God reveals to us how small, frail, weak, helpless, and useless we are, while showing us how huge, strong, powerful, and mighty He is! Seeing this helps us to understand Jesus' words "apart from Me you can do NOTHING" (Jn 15:5). All of a sudden everything is above my strength and I NEED JESUS!!! The Lord said "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9).....So thank the Lord for giving us more than we can handle so that we might learn to trust Him and so that His strength would be clearly seen! And thank the Lord for revealing to us that we are NOT sufficient of ourselves to do anything, but that He can make us sufficient by His power (2 Cor 3:5)! We need HIM to live, move, breath, and work! We need HIM for everything!
More examples: Judges 7--God gave Gideon a task that was more than he could handle so that HE would get the glory. "the people who are with you are too many for Me to deliver the midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me'".
Exodus 3 and 4-- God called Moses to a task that was above his strength, but declared to him, "I will certainly be with you".
Romans 4:16-25-- Abraham was given a promise that he would have a child and be a father of many nations even though his body was old and dead and his wife's womb was dead. This was above Abraham's strength, but he was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God!
I don't have time to tell of Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets (especially Daniel in the lion's den)!
So let us stop striving for comfort by blocking every hard thing that may come into our lives that seems like it is more than we can handle....But instead, cry out to the Living God!
Let us stop living lives that our flesh can handle...instead let us step out on God's word and learn to trust in the God Who raises the dead!
Let us stop complaining about the lot God has given us...but instead be content because He will not leave us nor forsake us!
Let us stop using common sense, walking-by-sight arguments to excuse us from obeying God...but instead be doers of His word while expecting God to give me things that are above my strength so that HE GETS GLORY!!!
Please leave a comment if you have any added thought...especially if you think I may be seeing this incorrectly.
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