"God Never Gives Us More Than We Can Handle." - WHAT?????

 

 

I found this quote this morning and was instantly encouraged.  The number of times I have gone through some of the most difficult situations of my life, I have had well meaning family and friends use the following sentence as a hope filled statement,

 

"God never gives us more than we can handle."

 

 

Ug!!!  I never heard it more than when my husband's best friend died and then two weeks later I miscarried our second child.  We were at such an all time low.  The loving people in our lives used this phrase to uplift us.  It did anything but, and became a discussion my husband and I had on a daily basis on how it was the most frustrating and empty phrase we had ever heard.  When this band aid statement was being said to us through this time, it was all before my husband and I had embraced Jesus as our savior.  I now know why that phrase was so disheartening and hollow.

It wasn't Biblically True.  

 

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 it says, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  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."

 

And in James 1:13 it says, "Let no one say he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God.', for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one."  God is not handing you the evil hardship you are going through, but he will use it to grow us closer to Him.

 

God does not expect you to "handle" this on your own and He will come to you in your weakness of "not being able to handle it" and provide a way out of the darkness.  And in the process you'll become closer in your relationship with our Heavenly Father, by the act of "pressing into Him". 

 

If a well meaning friend or family member uses the all too familiar, "God never gives us more than we can handle," re frame it for yourself into the above quote and know you are not alone.

 

Be encouraged friend! 

 

Challenge Questions:

Is there a well intended statement that keeps rubbing you the wrong way? 

Have you checked with scripture to see if it is True?

If it isn't True, can you find a way to re frame the phrase for yourself?

If it is True, can you identify why you're upset?