I have heard people voice various platitudes concerning various topics most of my life. Some are used to cover a variety of situations and others are more specific. One of the more popular slogans states that “God will never give you more than you can handle.” How could anyone doubt the “truth ” of this time honored saying? You may have used it yourself to comfort a friend in time of need. I know it has been spoken to me many times.  What I desire for us to consider (concerning this statement) is whether or not it is true. Is it a fact that God never gives us more than we can handle?

 

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 sheds light. In the NLT translation, Paul writes when describing their situation in Asia, that they were “crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure.” He did not believe they would live through the hardships they were facing and even “expected to die”. I believe Paul faced many such times.

 

In my own life, I have learned that God wants me to grow. I have also learned that I take great pride in my self-sufficiency. The hard truth is that if God only gave me as much as I could handle, then the pride in my life would rise up and gladly take credit for having endured whatever situation I was facing. The truth is that more times than not, God will use the trial I am going through to show my inability to handle the trial – and I end up being crushed in the process. He does not want me to be “self-sufficient”. He desires an ever-increasing dependence on Him and if I need crushing to produce this, then so be it. Yes, He loves me this much.

 

 

Again, we can turn to scripture for insight. Paul wrote, “As a result” (coming to the point of even death) “we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.”

 

God desires close intimate fellowship with His children. Our sense of self-sufficiency can (and often does) stand against a true reliance on our loving Father. Many times God will allow situations to reveal areas in our life that, if truth be told, we would rather leave in the dark. We certainly have a nature that is absent to that desire, but the love of Christ is relentless. He will not leave us to ourselves, and will use whatever means necessary to produce this intimacy.

 

Just try to remember the next time your heart prompts you to voice this particular slogan to another, that maybe God’s purpose goes beyond the temporary comfort that these words may give. He may want to produce something in His child that can only be accomplished through being “crushed and overwhelmed”.

 

It is a hard truth to face, but when truly faced, provides great comfort in the “suffering” that there is purpose in the pain. Purpose, that when realized, produces joy.

 

 

Mark

 

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I’m currently 51 years old and live in Saline with my wife Melinda. We each have 2 children, and together we have 12 grandchildren (including 2 still in the “oven”).  I have walked through various hardships in life and it’s my prayer and desire to share some of the things I’ve learned walking through these hardships.  I pray that God uses something in what I share to spark in you a thought that may have needed to be lit.  I don’t presume to have it all worked out, and much of what you will read is currently being worked out in my own life.  I would like to thank my precious Lord for this “voice” and pray that what I say will bring honor to Him.   – Mark