2013-05-17 - Can You Handle
It?
An artist named Plumb has a song called "Need You Now". Over
the last few weeks I have cried and prayed through the words. The chorus
says, "How many times have you heard me cry out 'God please take this'? How
many times have you given me strength to just keep breathing? Oh I need you.
God, I need you now." Life has been absolutely crazy; I feel like just yelling,
"I'm tired of the ride now can I please get off!" Do you ever feel overwhelmed?
Do you ever feel like you just can't cope anymore.
Now how many times have you heard, "God won't give you more than you can
handle"? Why then does it seem like we so often find ourselves overwhelmed
drowning in life? Right now I am swamped with tasks at work, home,
and church. Juggling deadlines, meetings, politics, children, to-do lists
that are added to faster than I can remove things from them all these
things are too much. And now my dad is in the hospital having had a portion
of his colon removed with breathing problems and a MRSA infection and he's
staring at the possibility of cancer. And I still get asked to do more by
everyone around me including God. I am way beyond what I can handle. Why
does God let this happen? Could it be that God has been lying to us?
No, God is truth. God cannot lie. Well how do we make sense of the statement
we hear so often, "God won't give you more than you can handle"? First we
must realize that this is not found anywhere in scripture. In fact we find
something more in line with what I have experienced.
2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (NIV)
8 Brothers and sisters, we want you to
know about the hard times we suffered in Asia Minor. We were having a lot
of trouble. It was far more than we could stand. We even thought we were
going to die. 9 In fact, in our hearts we felt as if we were
under the sentence of death. But that happened so that we would not depend
on ourselves but on God. He raises the dead to life. 10 God
has saved us from deadly dangers. And he will continue to do it. We have
put our hope in him. He will continue to save us. 11 You
must help us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because
of what will happen to us. They will thank God for his kindness to us in
answer to the prayers of many.
Paul was at his wit's end. He was beyond what he could handle. And God let
him go there. Did God lie to Paul too? No, God never made the statement he
is so often credited with. Notice what happens here, Paul is pushed beyond
his ability so that he leans on God's ability. Now that seems to line up
with scripture doesn't. God will let you be pushed beyond what you can do
so you learn to trust him with it.
Romans 8:28 (NASB) And we know that God causes all things
to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called
according to His purpose.
All the good and bad that is dumped upon us and pushes us to our limits and
beyond will be good if we love God and rely on him. Notice this promise is
only for believers (a.k.a. those who are called according to his purpose
since his purpose by his own words in the Gospels was to seek and save the
lost).
Philippians 4:13 (NASB) I can do all things through Him
who strengthens me.
I can do all things, put up with all things, and endure all things because
of God who strengthens me. This rings true so what about the "God won't give
you more than you can handle" statement? I've heard it attributed to scripture
and accredited to many people including Mother Theresa but perhaps the best
explanation of it is that it arises from a misunderstanding of a verse in
Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB) No temptation has overtaken
you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow
you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will
provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
God won't let us be tempted with more than we can handle. He will always
provide a way out of the temptation. This promise is probably the one that
has been twisted into the one we hear so often so please know that God does
allow a lot to be put on us. He even allows some to be martyred that
is definitely more than we can handle physically.
God won't promise us an easy life but he does promise his presence and the
presence of others in our lives.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NASB) - Be strong and courageous, do
not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes
with you. He will not fail you or forsake you."
Galatians 6:2 (NASB) - Bear one another's burdens, and
thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
What if right now there is someone crying out to God and God wants to answer
their cries for help through you? What if God doesn't answer the prayers
of others because he is waiting on you to answer it for him? We are to help
one another. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for the
hurting. We are to love others as much as we love ourselves.
Nobody likes pain. Nobody likes suffering. Nobody likes feeling rundown and
at their wits end but this is part of life. It is especially part of the
Christian life. The Bible spells out plainly that we will share in the suffering
of Christ; Jesus told his followers that they would be persecuted just as
he was persecuted.
"The call to follow Christ is a call to suffer. It is a call to bear certain
yoke (Matthew 11:29), and carry a certain cross (Matthew 16:24). But, the
majority of Christendom is obsessed with escaping Christ's yoke and his cross.
We are more concerned with being safe and comfortable. Therefore, it is easy
and almost natural for us to expect God to deliver us from our burdens and
thorns in the flesh. But, deliverance may not be God's plan for us, and we
must be, like Paul, prepared to accept it."
- Roger Upton, rogerupton.wordpress.com
Too many pop-psychology, feel-good preachers preaching bad theology have
led so many astray that the majority now accept their lies as Gospel truth.
We believe God won't give us too much to handle. We believe if we have enough
faith nothing bad will befall. We believe that God will protect us from harm.
So when problems come up and we are drowning in the storms of life, we doubt
God. If God says life will be good and it isn't then how can I trust God
ever with anything let alone with my entire life. Seems Satan has us just
where he wants us with ears wanting to hear good news that is convenient
and there are many willing to preach that kind of message but there is no
comfort in lies. I am tired of "disciples" that ask whose sins someone is
being punished for. I am so sick of people judging my dad as not having enough
faith to be healed.
Examine scripture carefully and live it out. Consider the cost in following
Christ but then also count it all joy to know him in the midst of life's
trials.
IHFHBOH
Adam
acdum@hotmail.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org
All scripture references from KJV unless otherwise noted
CFD | May 2013
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