"GOD WILL NOT GIVE YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN HANDLE" Really?

“God will not give you more than you can not handle” Once again pausing a moment in time to ponder on this phrase that is more taunting than comforting.Unlearning the customs of men through the lenses of the word and the danger that comes with building yourself up with what culture has build as truth. The painful reality is that first this phrase that I myself have quoted so many times is not biblical and second it provides a force hope to those who run in its shadow for it denies us the need to recognize and identify with our weakness.

If I can handle it, then I am in control and I do not need faith and I do not need God's strength in my weakness. This phrase is normally confused with Paul's writing on temptation “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).

There is difference between temptation and suffering. In our temptation, there is a promise for a way out so we always have a choice to walk out through the way provided or engage with the temptation before us.

But with the suffering that promise of escape is always not there, however the fruits of suffering and enduring to the end are greater.(Romans 5:3-5).  In Matthew we meet Jesus admitting his weakness in suffering  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (26:38). But he knows that the promise stand, even when his soul can not handle it, the spirit will raise him up and seat him with  the father as promised.

When we recognize that we have more than we can handle, then we find pure joy in our suffering, because we are no longer working to “handle” it with our own strength, but trusting that Christ in us will be glorified in the victory but not glorifying ourselves because we could handle it.

 

It is sad listening to this quotes been used to encourage people who are going through such great suffering, hearing a mother with a sick child or a person who is in bed sick  been quoted for  “God will not give you more than you can not handle” or even “God helps those who help themselves”  is just ridiculous. I have observed on reaction of such words and often you find the “victims” to react by saying “I am fine” but the soul is screaming out for help, a hand to hold on to, someone to offer practical help. and often the consequences of this is, it provides a re-way for the encouraging to walks away believing they have done all they could and now God will do his part while the one suffering is left traumatized with more questions than answers and no one to talk to because “they can handle it”  hence resulting to believing a lie and bitterness.

Contrary to this, the word  teaches us that when were are weak he is our strength so in your greatest suffering you are weak so get over that fact that you can handle it because you can not and recognize the need to surrender to the one who can. secondly Isaiah 25:4 and Romans 5:6 shows you that, he do help the weak not “...those help themselves”.

The reality in this is the revelation that sufferings and trials  will come but our hope is not in ourselves or our strength, our faith is the one who can handle it all for he is the author and the finisher and the joy of knowing that we can trust in him

Paul says “ For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many”. (2cor1)

This afflictions were not just for Paul, people around the world are going through this,sometimes it is even our neighbors “burdened beyond their strength and despaired of life itself” feeling like they are in death sentence, but what we learn from him is this makes us not rely on ourselves but on Abba who raises the dead and we must take it upon ourselves to not quote some of these crazy phrases but to encourage them with the word and fervently pray and comfort them in affliction “with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.(2cor1:4)

Once again it is a reminder that love paid for it all, it is gazing upon the cross and seen the victory of all things in Christ Jesus who is in us, It is a lifestyle of leaning on Jesus to accomplish the impossible~ those things that you can not handle~ but developing intimacy with one who can keeps you grounded, it is the vulnerability of learning to say I am burdened beyond strength to your kingdom family with no shame and knowing that it is okay like Moses to have Joshua hold your hand when your strength is failing.