Myth Buster: God Will Put (Allow) More On You Than YOU Can Handle - Ron Edmondson

My most popular post since I started this blog is a post denouncing the myth that “God will not put more on us than we can allow.” It is found by Google search several times daily, indicating people are looking for the phrase in the Bible. I continue to receive challenges to my claim that this phrase is not in Scripture because they have heard it so long they can’t believe it must be there somewhere. So far, however, no one has found that exact phrase in the Bible. Of course, I consistently get pointed to 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.” I’m sorry, but I can’t see where that verse says anything about the trials of life, which I believe the myth is referring to. This verse is talking about temptation, and even then the context of the passage deals with Christ’s strength in us, not our own.

You can read the original post HERE.

I realize the intended meaning is that if we rely on God we can handle anything, and I know people most often share it with a desire to comfort others, but the reason I like to challenge this claim is that I continue to encounter people that feel something is wrong with them. They are overwhelmed with life, confused, and desperately trying to figure out why they can’t cope with the stress of life. They have heard that God “will not put more on them than they can handle” and yet their circumstances tell them otherwise. The well-intended message almost becomes an indictment against a person struggling to wade through the storms of life, because they are left wondering why they can’t seem to find the power within them to overcome the emotions of distress.

The fact is, as I’ve said before, this world is messed up, broken and impossible to navigate on our own. God will allow more than we can handle ON OUR OWN, because His greatest desire is that we learn to rely on Him completely. The power we have within us to face life’s trauma is the power of Christ. I have had countless times in my life where life was desperate enough that I finally recognized that apart from the grace of God, I could not handle life. I think that’s what God is looking for from His children and that’s a more comforting message to share with people in distress.

Have you heard this phrase applied in your life? Have you had times you didn’t feel you could handle the stress in your life and wondered what God was doing?

Put your complete trust in God and His strength to see you through this time. With His help, you can face anything…but don’t try to handle life on your own.

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