God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle

Introduction

Have you ever gone through a difficult spell in your life and had someone come up to you and say, “You know, God won’t give you more than you can handle?” I’m sure we all have at some time or another had someone tell us this. They mean to encourage us, but this is actually a misquoted Bible verse

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

So, God does say that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, but this does not mean that we will not go through trials in life that are more than we can handle. The key is whether we are operating in our power or God’s power.

Paul even said that some of his trials were directly sent by God for the sake of humbling him. In , Paul speaks of being caught up into heaven to see things that couldn’t even be spoken of and that God sent a thorn in the flesh to humble him.

2 Corinthians 12:2–11 ESV

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 12:2–10 ESV

You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

2:2-

2 Cor. 12:2-

But this morning, we want to turn to what Paul says in about the frailty of our flesh and how God uses our weaknesses to bring glory to his name. So this morning, while God will give you more than YOU can handle, it is never more than He can handle. Let’s look at our text this morning.

Read Text. Pray.

1. Our lives are a display of the power of God (vv. 7-12)

given over to death, so that the life of Jesus may be displayed in us = we have to die to ourselves daily

2. We must have faith in the power of God (vv. 13-15)

- the whole Psalm is about God’s salvation and deliverance

3. We are renewed daily by the power of God (vv.16-18)

What we are going through today is real, it stings, it crushes, but it cannot defeat us. It is temporal. It is nothing compared to what lies ahead for us.

Conclusion:

We all need to realize that one day, something is going to take us out of this world. We are all breaking down. We are all falling apart. Death is a reality that we all will face one day. But we live in the reality that death is defeated by the power of the cross. Jesus has conquered the grave so that we can say,

5:54-

1 Corinthians 15:54–58 ESV

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Has God given you more than you can handle? Maybe that’s because you you are not supposed to handle it yourself. Come to Jesus and He will give you rest!