Men's Devotional

Dennis Fish

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One of the most damaging beliefs a Christian can hold.

Here's the false idea: "God will never give you more than you can handle."

I suspect we've all had this concept pitched to us at some point as one of the key principles of the faith. We've heard it from the lips of other Christians; we've read books about it; we've seen the phrase on bumper stickers. But I'm telling you, it simply doesn't ring true—from the standpoint of human experience or from God's Word. When we buy into this false idea, it only leaves us confused, frustrated, and angry.

The truth is, God often allows us to face more than we can handle. But it's not because he's cruel or heartless. It's so we'll stop trying to live life on our own strength and learn to depend on his.

Let's face the truth: It is fooling ourselves to triumphantly say that God will not give us more than we can handle. Believing this wrongly emphasizes our own ability to weather storms and save ourselves. It assumes God's desire is never to overwhelm us, which would cause us to actually need Him. At best, believing this adage attempts to brush the difficult reality of our weaknesses right under the rug.

Key Study Passage:

8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; 11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., ). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.

God will give us more than we can handle so that we will give Him the handle to steer our lives! The point is that the key to the Christian life is not trying to be strong in ourselves, but rather letting God’s power and strength fill and empower us through the inevitable difficulties of life and even Gospel ministry. Think of people like Moses (),

And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

I”m sure there are more, but here are 4 reasons God DOES give us more than we can handle.

11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

Gideon (), Jeremiah (), David (), Peter () and Paul (, , , ). They were all given tasks and tests that were much bigger than themselves. In fact, many people in the Bible were overwhelmed with what God called them to do. God would often remind them that He was with them (see ) and would supply what they needed. Over and over again God took His people into situations that were humanly impossible so He would receive the glory (see , cf. ). It was much more than they could handle and that was the point! God’s power showed up to see them through (see ). Where they were weak, He was strong (). I”m sure there are more, but here are 4 reasons God DOES give us more than we can handle.

Gideon ( And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, ||my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. 16 And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

Jeremiah (), David (), Peter () and Paul (, , , ). They were all given tasks and tests that were much bigger than themselves. In fact, many people in the Bible were overwhelmed with what God called them to do. God would often remind them that He was with them (see ) and would supply what they needed. Over and over again God took His people into situations that were humanly impossible so He would receive the glory (see , cf. ). It was much more than they could handle and that was the point! God’s power showed up to see them through (see ). Where they were weak, He was strong (). I”m sure there are more, but here are 4 reasons God DOES give us more than we can handle.

Jeremiah ( 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6 Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7 But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8 sBe not afraid of their faces: for tI am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. 9 Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6 Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7 But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8 sBe not afraid of their faces: for tI am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. 9 Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

David ( 18 Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

18 Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

, Peter () and Paul (, , , ). They were all given tasks and tests that were much bigger than themselves. In fact, many people in the Bible were overwhelmed with what God called them to do. God would often remind them that He was with them (see ) and would supply what they needed. Over and over again God took His people into situations that were humanly impossible so He would receive the glory (see , cf. ). It was much more than they could handle and that was the point! God’s power showed up to see them through (see ). Where they were weak, He was strong (). I”m sure there are more, but here are 4 reasons God DOES give us more than we can handle.

Peter () and Paul (, , , ).

They were all given tasks and tests that were much bigger than themselves. In fact, many people in the Bible were overwhelmed with what God called them to do. God would often remind them that He was with them (see ) and would supply what they needed. Over and over again God took His people into situations that were humanly impossible so He would receive the glory ;

2 And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

It was much more than they could handle and that was the point! God’s power showed up to see them through.

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

Where they were weak, He was strong.

cf. ). It was much more than they could handle and that was the point! God’s power showed up to see them through (see ). Where they were weak, He was strong (). I”m sure there are more, but here are 4 reasons God DOES give us more than we can handle.

I”m sure there are more, but here are 4 reasons God DOES give us more than we can handle.

1. Our Faith Needs to Grow

When we were first introduced to Jesus we learned some basics. We are born sinners. We cannot get into heaven with our sin. Jesus came and died for our sins, shedding his perfect blood.

Everything we know about God we’ve had to learn. And little by little we learned how to trust him. Our baby faith needed to mature. And one of the best ways to grow our faith is through trials.

Paul wrote later in : 9 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, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 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. NASB

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

SEE ALSO: How God gave Me Freedom from my Motherly Guilt

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

2. Our Self-Reliance Needs to Die

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

So, the trials started coming. Just like David who one day fought Goliath. He didn’t start with Goliath. No. God showed David he would be there with him when he fought a lion and one day a bear. Then David’s faith grew till he could stand before the giant Philistine, confident that the same God who helped him fight the lion and the bear would be with him as he faced Goliath.

2. Our Self-Reliance Needs to Die

Way in the beginning of scripture, we learn about how we like to go our own ways. We live in a world which encourages us to be our own person. And when we fall, we’re told to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.

But this is contrary to what we learn in scripture. In the Bible, we are encouraged to lean on God, not on our own understanding,

. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;

And lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.

And he shall direct thy paths.

He’s the one who will make our paths straight. We’re to lean on him, not on our own abilities.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes; Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

He’s the one who will make our paths straight. We’re to lean on him, not on our own abilities.

Proverbs 3:5–6 KJV 1900

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.

3. We Need to Learn about God’s Character

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.