Too often I hear people, "Christians" for that matter, say "God will not give you more than you can handle" when others are going through a rough time. If you believe this lie, I have to question your basis of your entire faith.
I learned in 2012 that I didn't want
Back to "not more than you can handle". Where is that verse? That's right, it isn't in there. Scriptures are very clear that God will indeed allow you to go through so much more than YOU can handle- but it comes with a promise and a comfort. Let's look at some specific examples to convince you more.
Noah. God told Noah to build an ark (arky arky- out of gopher barky barky- flashback to church camp). Noah didn't know what an ark or rain (See Genesis 2:6) were, because he had never seen them or heard of them. God said build me this monstrosity of a boat (Genesis 6:14) because I am sending floodwaters (Genesis 3:17) to cover the earth because I regretful for making humans because they have disappointed me. Noah made the ark and was on it for a really long time- with lots of animals (and animal smells) and his family (closed in and no way from getting away from them- or the smells). This was much more than Noah could handle- but God provided for Noah and his family because of his faith. Never again will the Lord flood the earth because Noah listened and trusted God.
Abraham. Our Sunday School lesson was about Abraham and how he trusted the Lord to provide during an uncertain time. God had promised that Abraham would "be the father of many nations" (Gen. 17:5)- numerous as the stars. Then, the unthinkable happened. God told Abraham to take Issac to Moriah and sacrifice him unto the Lord. God had given Abraham a son after much long waiting- and promised that his descendants would fill the earth- and now he asked him to sacrifice him as an offering to him. Again, more than Abraham could handle. Abraham listened and did as he was commanded- and God saw his faithfulness and saw how much Abraham truly trusted him. God provided on that mountain. (Read the rest of the story here).
Many others come to mind when thinking about having to deal with more than they could handle- only for them to fully trust him and have him bless them because of it. (you will have to read the stories to see how they ended)
Moses. You are going to free the captive and lead them to the Promised Land-in the desert. It is your responsibility to get them there.
Joseph. Your brothers will turn on you and drop you in a well.
David. I need you to slay this giant.
Gideon. Go wipe out the Midianites- oh and I am cutting your army from 32,000 to 300.
Job. A lot of awful things are going to happen to you- you will lose everything. Plagues, death- but just stay true to me.
Mary. Hey you are going to have a baby and still be a virgin- and he will redeem the lost for my sake. But this is no ordinary baby- so just trust me.
Joseph. Your fiance is pregnant- not by another man, but by a miraculous sign of me- and you are to be his dad and raise him.
Any of the disciples of Christ. Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men. He didn't give any more details- but just give up your life to come with me.
Do you not think any of these were "much more than they could handle"? I think they were exactly that and more. Try and put yourself in any of their positions. The ultimate example would be Christ himself.
Son, I am sending you, in your perfect form, to earth for the redemption of mankind. You will live among them and then be killed by the same ones. You will bear the sins of all mankind- even those yet to come. You will not just die, but you will be brutally tortured and beaten, mocked and spit upon, and be crucified- the most awful form of death possible- only to show my great love for the world. You will still love these people and go through all of this to bring many sons to glory. One last point. When you do die, you will be separated from me. But- trust me through it all.
No. That isn't more than he could handle. Totally doable.
Right.
Jesus said he was "overwhelmed, even to the point of death".(Matthew 26: 38). Yes, it was more than he could handle on his own. Luke even says that Jesus was in so much anguish, his sweat was like drops of blood (Luke 22:44).
Jesus trusted God, (as did those mentioned before) even in his weakest point, because he knew that God was going to provide. Jesus' story doesn't end at the cross, thankfully. Through his death and resurrection, we have everlasting life in him. I am grateful for his faithfulness! As the song says "Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom" (Listen here).
The next time you hear/see someone use this phrase, I hope you choose to convince them otherwise. God does allow you to go through more than you can handle, only for you to give it to Him- so that he can make all things new.
Things would be very different in these stories had these people not trusted God. He provided- more than they ever could dream because of their faithfulness.
Stay with Christ, even when the hard times come- and he promises to stay with you (John 15:4). Find hope in these verses about hard time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time.
Psalm 66:10 For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.
11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs.
12 You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
1 Peter 1:6-7 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed
2 Peter 2: 7-9 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
This one was a long one- but thanks for reading. Leave a comment on my FB as to why you read it or what you want to see- or on here- so I can enter your name in a giveaway. A beautiful hand-painted watercolor is up for grabs!
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