God WILL give you more than you can handle

I love watching Mythbusters. Tackling urban legends and misconceptions, putting them to the test with high speed cameras, hands on testing and real science… it’s an Addis family favorite.

Can you save yourself by jumping upward in a crashing elevator? Is it possible to fly using a lawn chair and helium filled balloons? Can ninjas really catch arrows shot at their head?

Now that’s some high quality entertainment!

One of my favorite parts of that show is the fan (or ‘not so much’ fan) letters they receive. It’s crazy to me how some people will dogmatically hold to a belief in something that is undeniably proven BUSTED. Or, how some will completely refuse the reality of something that was crowned PLAUSIBLE and has 60 minutes of video footage to back it up.

“I don’t care what the Mythbusters say, you can pop popcorn with your cellphone… I’ve seen it on YouTube!”

When it comes to myths, some people just don’t care about reality; they’ve just chosen what they believe and they are going to stick to it no matter what.

This is just as big a problem in the spiritual realm. There is some Spiritual Mythbusting that needs to be done, and we all have to be open to the evidence and not just believe what we heard back in the day.

Here’s a spiritual myth that needs to be busted: God will not give you more than you can handle.

Hold on, hold on, hold on. Put down the pitchforks and torches. Let’s not go mob just yet, but instead let’s test this one out.

I believe that God will ask you to do things, and require things of you that will absolutely crush you. I know it’s comforting to think that God would never do that, but you and I have both seen individuals and families that have been seriously damaged.

Financial concerns, mission opportunities, health battles; you name the scenario and we have seen some people come through it with flying colors (whatever that means) and seen others utterly devastated.

To add to the confusion, often its the ‘Godly’ family that is sinks, and the disconnected folks who seem to rise above.

Huh? What’s this all about God? Doesn’t Your Bible promise that we won’t be given more than we can handle?

Nope.

Most people take one verse from the New Testament to construct this “We could never be smushed” theology, but if you really look at it…that’s not what it says:

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Obviously, this passage is about temptation. God does promise to not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. Which, by the way, means whatever your excuse/rationale for succumbing to the sin eventually boils down to this descriptor… it’s lame.

“Lord, I know gluttony is wrong, but its my birthday and it would be rude of me not to eat the entire cake they got me. I’m just trying to practice thankfulness and be a good example. I’m going to eat this whole cake, for Jesus.”

Not saying resisting temptation isn’t difficult, and at times doesn’t seems like a day hike through hell. But, scripture is clear, even at it’s most difficult God promises “a way out.”

The problem is that’s a promise for undergoing temptation, not for walking through the paces of life!

Sometimes we get dealt a hand that seems impossible: cancer, divorce, depression, unemployment, etc. The weight is crushing. The pressure is mind numbing. The heat is boiling.

Unfortunately, we have all too often seen people, marriages and lives crumble under that kind of pressure. Many of us reading this today are in the midst of a storm, we’re ducking for cover where there seems to be none, we’re fearing that long, slow slide in failure.

And, in the middle of those circumstances we question God, and remember that we were taught, “He’ll never put more on you than you can bear.”

So, quietly inside we sarcastically respond, “Yeah, right…”

Then there are these other people, families, businesses and churches. We see them from a distance, completely amazed as they persevere through situations twice as difficult as ours.

We’d celebrate with them, if they didn’t make us so bitter… I’m just sayin’.

What’s the difference?

Well, first you have to bust the myth. God will give you more than you can handle.

If He didn’t, how could He receive any glory? We’d just have a world filled with people who are only challenged with things they can handle.

But, God allows us some difficulties and spurs us to some challenges that are far beyond our abilities to excel or even cope. This way, we can turn to Him and allow His work and power to flow through our lives and do what we could never do!

Too often, the difference between disaster and deliverance is resting on dependence.

We will be given more than we can handle, and in those moments we have the right, the permission and the expectation to turn to our God and see Him come to the rescue.

Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Psalm 33
16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Deuteronomy 31:8
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged

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Will God give you or allow to come to you more than you can handle? Yes. But, that question focuses too much on the one part that always breaks down… The human part.

Will God be faithful to deliver those who turn to him in times of trouble? Absolutely! Just like it asks in Genesis18, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

In the midst of the crushing weights of this world and the terrifying goals and desires placed in your heart, turn to God. He is able.

This myth is BUSTED.

By the way, ninjas can catch arrows, and I am almost a ninja. Just sayin’.

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