We can’t, but He can!

Many of you reading this blog have heard this from some well-meaning people that are trying to encourage you when are going through difficulties by saying, “God will never give you more than you can handle.”

The Bible never makes this promise, but the example of God’s people suggests the opposite is true.

I can just hear someone out there saying: “What about 1 Corinthians 10:13?”

Let’s look at that verse:

“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.”

Doesn’t this verse say God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able?

So there Ken you are wrong! But let’s look at this more carefully.

Notice that it says that God is faithful to always provide “the way of escape.”

The way of escape that is available in each temptation or test, is His enabling grace by giving us His power to handle any situation we find ourselves in.

God always gives us more than we can handle because we are weak in our flesh and He never intended for us to handle anything by the flesh; only by His power.

We see this illustrated when He was teaching a large group of people and they needed food.

Jesus told His disciples to do the impossible:

“You give them something to eat.”

When the disciples said that they had only five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus provided the only solution to their problem.

He told them to “Bring them here to me.”

“Bring them here to me” is the answer we need every time we feel that God has asked us to do more than we are able or can handle.

We must place our limited resources at His disposal and remember we are always weak in the flesh.

Christ will never give us more than He can handle.

Remember that Jesus is in control of any circumstance in our lives. Jesus directions turned the disciples’ attention to their own resources.

By urging them to consider these, Jesus was leading them to recognize their personal inadequacy so they would go to Him as the only adequate resource.

The next time you think God is giving you more than you can handle, He is!

Remember it is to drive you away from your own resources to His resources in Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 says:

“And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

May we always remember: we can’t, but He can!

Blessings!

Pastor Ken Keeler, Director of Church Ministries