We hear it said in many situations: “God never gives us more than we can handle.” Is this true?
Who (or what) is God? In various places in scripture we find God described as infinite, incomparable, merciful, compassionate, loving, and forgiving, eternal…the list could go on. In fact, the entire Bible reveals the nature, character, and work of God. Even if God changes, the change is from good to good, never “bad” to good. Jesus himself said, “why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”
As full as it is of descriptions of God’s goodness, the Bible is also full of examples of people suffering, falling, sinning, and breaking. From Adam and Eve falling into temptation through to the letters to the seven churches in John’s Revelation, all through the Bible we will find people suffering as we suffer, falling as we fall, sinning as we sin, and breaking, as we find ourselves broken. People who don’t “handle” what life throws at them. From kings to prophets, apostles to converts, there is only one person in the Bible who is sinless, pure, and perfect – and that’s God incarnate.
Since God Incarnate had to face the troubles of this world, then why wouldn’t we? Since God Incarnate was tempted in the wilderness, why would we think ourselves exempt from temptation and yes – even evil! – as we go through our lives? It’s pure ego and self-centeredness to believe that because we are people of faith, we somehow get a free pass from the challenges of living: poverty, physical troubles, family sorrows, mental health struggles and conflict. You could name a dozen more, I’m sure. Examples straight from your own life. And yet we egotistically proclaim that we can handle whatever life throws at us. That we control the outcome. It’s that incredibly self-empowered attitude that has led to the saying “God will never give us more than we can handle.”
What do we say instead? How about this: No matter what we are facing, God will give us the strength to persevere and overcome, which is a totally different thing than “handling!” Like our Biblical predecessors, we often don’t notice that it’s God who’s getting us through life’s ups and downs, but it is… Move past trying to ‘control’ things yourself, get out of the way, and invite God to take the lead. Proclaim the sovereignty, compassion, and grace of God! No matter what we are facing, God can and will give us the strength to persevere and overcome. That is “Blessed Assurance.” That is cause for joy.
(The Rev) Janet Taylor
Interim Moderator, Sherwood Park Presbyterian Church