Does God give us more than we can handle?

Hello beautiful people!

I was reading someone’s blog yesterday and a concern was raised about people who say “God will not give you more than you can handle” dismissively to people going through hard times. The person was concerned that even though this statement is supposed to be encouraging, it mostly comes across as rather insensitive or dismissive, kind of like telling whoever is going through the hard time to just suck it up because after all, God has given them exactly what they can handle. That just raised so many questions in my mind and I’d be grateful if anyone could help me answer them.

Before I get into my questions, let me share the Bible verse that seems to talk about this.

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word-He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy]. (AMP)

The only temptation that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it. (ERV)

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it. (MSG)

So these 3 versions have a common message which has been popularly interpreted as ‘God will not give you more than you can handle.’ I love how the second part of this verse talks about God always giving us a way out of our temptations. It is quite reassuring to know that He’s always with us and he’ll always be there to help us come through it as the MSG version puts it.

That brings me to my first set of questions. If the verse is talking about temptations/being tempted as it is clearly stated, why is it often applied to people facing challenges/going through a hard time to make it look like it is God who is taking them through that? Is Paul talking about temptations/tests OR going through hard times in life/facing challenges OR both? We know everyone has their own way of processing and dealing with issues so how exactly do we determine what more than we can handle is, as everyone’s limits/breaking point varies? When you say that to a person, do you know for sure that they can actually handle whatever they are going through or do you just say it because it’s something that seems okay to say at such a time?

“God never gives you more than you can handle” : A nice sentiment which we believe is encouraging and comforting but doesn’t really match with real life because we experience many struggles, illnesses, devastation and painful situations that are much more than we can handle, that even bring us to our breaking point.

Also: Do trials/temptations come from God? Does He allow us to be tempted? The way it says ‘He will not let you be tempted more than’ makes it look as though He will let you be tempted, but not more than you can bear. Well James 1:13 tells us not to say God is tempting us because He doesn’t tempt anyone. The following verse (v14) goes on to say that it is the evil things we want that tempt us, so that certainly rules out the thought that temptations come from God. That leaves us with trials (challenges/hard times), which we all experience at some point in our lives. Are they also from God? Does God deliberately take us through trials that feel unbearable?

Personally, I don’t think God gives us anything that we have to ‘handle’, in that sense. God does not give us trials, neither does He take us through hard times nor make us face challenges. The difficulties in life are not temptations, neither are they from God. We, by our own actions create problems and situations for ourselves and we end up blaming the devil or God. How can a father of light, so full of love from whom every good and perfect gift comes deliberately put us through hard times? Is He trying to punish us or teach us a lesson? That would actually negate who He is. The last part of James 1:17 (MSG) says: ‘There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle.’ How then can He give us the good stuff and also bad stuff?

What do you think? Do leave a comment and let’s have a discussion. I would love to read your thoughts and views on this topic!

Love always,

Mrs A.

If you’re currently going through challenging times and you’d like a listening ear, some encouragement or motivation, please contact me here: talktomrsa@gmail.com

 

 

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Not only with our Lips but in our Lives

Hello beautiful people!

I know it’s late but my heart is grieving so much over this particular verse hubs and I came to during Bible study last night.

Colossians 2:6 AMP

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in [union with] Him [reflecting His character in the things you do and say -living lives that lead others away from sin]”

I know that this letter was not written directly to us believers today, as we are not the church in Colossae but since we have also received Christ, I believe we can apply this to our present day lives and learn a thing or two.

So I believe this verse is telling us to walk with Christ and keep following Him as we have come to know Him but the amplified version breaks it down further to talk about exactly how to do this, which is what grieved my heart so much.

1. We have to reflect His character in the things we do and say. Ooh I can stay here all day. To show that we (believers) really have received Christ as we claim we have, we have to live our lives in a way that reflects His character. This touched me so much because even I, by my human nature, don’t live my life this way but by I’m able to do this by His grace only. Now you all know I’m no Judge Judy and I’m not even trying to condemn anyone here because I’m nowhere near perfect, but when I look around me, I don’t see a majority of us believers reflecting Christ’s character in the things we do and say, let’s all be honest here. Lately, you can’t even tell a believer from a non-believer because most of us are all living the same lifestyles but then we like to point out their mistakes and call them sinners. One of the guiding principles I’m now trying to use in every situation of my life is ‘WWJD- What would Jesus Do?’ because if we say we are followers of Christ then of course our aim should be to emulate His life, but is that what we are doing? Or am I getting something wrong? What exactly does it mean to be a follower of Christ?
2. We should live lives that lead others away from sin. As believers, do we live our lives in a way that deters people from sinning? I really can’t think far on this one. If we say we are the light of the world and salt of the earth, is it not our lifestyles that would prove that, not our words? It looks to me like there are too many of us believers today loudly proclaiming the message of salvation to the world with our mouths and words but not with our lifestyles. We can shout and proclaim the gospel but do our lives reflect what we preach? There are so many of us living in unforgiveness, hate, greed, malice and wickedness (but we don’t see these ones as sin though!) and it’s no surprise that we are condemned so much by the world because our acts always contradict our speeches. I love how Peter puts this in 1 Peter 3:1-2 ERV (I’m using this version here because I love how it broke the message down):

“In the same way, you wives should be willing to serve your husbands. Then, even those who have refused to accept God’s teaching will be persuaded to believe because of the way you live. You will not need to say anything. Your husbands will see the pure lives that you live with respect for God.”

The amplified version says: “…so that even if some do not obey the word [of God], they may be won over [to Christ] without discussion by the godly lives of their wives…”

Heissshhh, what a word! So you mean to tell me people can actually be persuaded to believe in God because of the way we live?! Without discussion?! We don’t have to clap, shout or scare people into ‘repenting’ or believing God?!

Me right now

Now I know he was referring to wives here but can you see how believers today can benefit from this if we practiced it? If we really want to ‘win souls for the kingdom’ like we always say then I think it’s only walking in love and living lives which reflects Christ’s character that would do the trick. Enough with all the long talk and scary repentance messages; show a person the unconditional love that is talked about in 1 Corinthians 13, let your daily life match the words you preach and watch the person transform before your very eyes. I have seen it happen with a person very close to me so I can testify to this. Trust me, it’s not always in the words, it is mostly in the deeds!

Remember how much your Father God loves you, and love others the same way too.

Love always,

Mrs A.

If you’re currently going through challenging times and you’d like a listening ear, some encouragement or motivation, please contact me here: talktomrsa@gmail.com

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Let Love Lead

Hello beautiful people!

I almost didn’t post today because I have been so immersed in studies but I didn’t want a day to pass by without doing what I’ve been called to do. So during my bible study this morning, I came across some scriptures and the realization of how far we have strayed from them hit me so hard, I just stopped in my tracks and pondered on it for a long time; I couldn’t even read past those lines. In fact, I was so burdened by it that I posted it to my Facebook to seek answers from other discerning minds. Let me share it here:

John 17:20-23 Amplified Bible (AMP)

“20 I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake alone that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message, 21 that they all may be one; just as You, Father are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.

22 I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into one, so that the world may know [without any doubt] that You sent Me, and [that You] have loved them, just as You have loved Me.

This was Jesus’ prayer for all believers before he was betrayed and arrested. Just reading this again is making me so emotional, I feel like crying right now to be honest. Oh my goodness! Where did we go wrong? I have studied various versions of these verses and each version still grieves my heart. This is Jesus, savior of the whole world praying earnestly to his father, our father in heaven that all of us (believers) and those who will ever believe, may be one in Him so looking around me and not seeing that oneness is what’s making my heart so heavy. He said this would make the world believe that He was truly sent by God and it just makes me wonder, what if one of the reasons why the world finds it so hard to believe is because we the believers are so divided? So many different churches, so many different doctrines, if I was an unbeliever and I listened to them all, I would wonder which is which.

The question I asked on my Facebook this morning was, “Are we all one?” That was among several of the other questions I was asking myself; why are there so many divisions in the church? What is that oneness Jesus prayed for? Is it possible for all believers to be perfectly one? I have been having several discussions today, trying to get to the root of this problem of division we see in the body of Christ and though I haven’t completed my research yet, I have come to a premature solution to the problem which I believe when practiced, there would be less divisions and separations or probably none at all! Personally, I believe love is the foundation of our faith because there would have been no ultimate sacrifice (Jesus Christ) if there was no love- John 3:16. Jesus gave us 2 commandments; to love God and to love our neighbors and I strongly believe if we (believers) all practiced this, we would have fewer problems in the world. Can you imagine the difference we would make in our communities, not to talk of our countries and the world as a whole if ALL believers practiced the agape love that Jesus spoke of? Today I just want to encourage you my dear readers, to let love lead in everything you do.

A couple of months ago, I got so engrossed with myself and my own issues, not bothering about anything or anyone else and when I came to, I felt so bad that I immediately started looking for ways I could rectify it. I couldn’t believe I had become that self-absorbed! Yeah fair enough, I had my own problems, as do you all, but that didn’t mean I had to lock myself up in my own world, thinking of nothing or no one else. I mean I was so caught up with myself that I didn’t even realize someone I considered a friend, who was at my marriage ceremonies and very active on my Facebook had unfriended me and I had no idea when or why, though I visited Facebook regularly. I immediately added her again and then called her up to find out what was going on, something I never would have done without the Father’s unselfish love I’ve got in me. I have learned and am still learning to love ALL men unconditionally, whether they love me back or not because that is what Jesus did and that’s what we are supposed to do if we say we are Christ-like. I mean He even said to love our enemies (Luke 6:27-35), how much more ‘friends’ who are at loggerheads with us?

It looks like it’s so easy for us believers to pray, give offerings and attend all church services but it is SO HARD for us to forgive people who offend us and to love everyone unconditionally. All the posts I have seen that talk about cutting people off in a second when they offend us are put up by Christians, many of whom I know and I’m not condemning anyone because I’ve been there, done that.

“love, don’t live here anymore…”

most cut off, ayekoo!

Our love has always got strings attached; only if they love us too, are nice to us or if we’d get something in return but look what Jesus had to say about that: “If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.” Luke 6:32-33 (AMP) What are we really doing without love? Paul really goes in on his teaching on love in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and that is by far one of my favorite verses to read. He said love is the greatest and whatever we do outside of love is basically done in vain.

While we may not be able to unite all believers in the world, I strongly believe this oneness Jesus prayed for begins with you and I making an effort to love everybody just as God loves us. That certainly would make a difference in our homes, schools, work places and churches. Little drops of water they say makes a mighty ocean and if we begin to shine our individual lights in the various places we find ourselves, just imagine how bright the whole place would be.

Let me leave you with this: ‘Beloved, let us [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [others] is born of God and knows God [through personal experience]. The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.] 1 John 4:7-8 (AMP)

Always remember how much God loves you, He wants you to show others that kind of love too!

[Unconditional] Love always,

Mrs. A

If you’re currently going through challenging times and you’d like a listening ear, some encouragement or motivation, please contact me here : talktomrsa@gmail.com

 

You are NOT your Past

Hello beautiful people!

Before we begin today just say this to yourself: “I am not my past.”

As a child of God freed from the bondage of sin, your past may have a funny way of rearing its ugly head in your present, trying to threaten your peace and make you question your entire salvation. It is such a struggle especially when you are a new convert trying to move past your old habits and mistakes. The Bible says there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7) so how do you think the enemy will feel about that? He doesn’t want to lose anyone in his clutches, therefore he will come at you from all angles after you’ve publicly declared that you have repented, by constantly reminding you of your past mistakes and shortcomings every chance he gets. It is even worse when you happen to fall into sin after being born again, oh my! This enemy will try to make you feel unworthy of your heavenly father’s love and make you feel like you’re better off living in sin, forgetting that when God forgives, He remembers our sins no more (Isaiah 43:25). In fact the New Living Translation of this scripture says He will never think of them again.

Unfortunately, after every mistake we make, we don’t remember scriptures like this. Let’s be honest, we don’t even think of God’s love for us in such moments; we think ‘oh I messed up again, God is done with me for real this time.’ We only hear that voice of condemnation and begin to wonder if there’s really any hope for us or if we can ever truly be free.

The good news that I, former sin grandmaster, am here to share with you is that yup, we definitely can be totally free from the clutches of sin when we are in Christ because if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed! (John 8:36) I believe the word ‘if’ is used here because there is a condition attached to this freedom; it ONLY comes from Christ, you can never truly be free until He gives you that freedom. I was once fed with the lies of the devil. I was so deep in sexual sin that I had come to accept it as a way of life. I believed it was normal, a part of me and the more I tried to stop, the deeper I would go in. I didn’t know about my father’s love the way I do now, I just thought I was far too gone so I might as well just stay there and keep sinning. You can imagine the hard time I had when I got saved, it was a long hard battle! Remember, the devil knows exactly what our weaknesses are and that’s what he uses against us. Breaking free from years of that sinful lifestyle sure didn’t make him happy, so he would accuse me day and night and even flaunt it in my face to see if I’d come back running but after being washed and cleansed by the superior blood of Jesus, I had decided never to go back.

‘I won’t go back, I can’t go back

To the way it used to be, before your presence came and changed me.’

What really would I have gone back to? The lies? Deception? Fake joy? Temporal pleasure? I was so done with all of that and determined to live for God but it didn’t mean the enemy was going to leave me alone, however I now had a weapon that could always defeat him, which is the word of God. In it we find several ammunition that we can use to destroy his work, only if we believers would open our Bibles and our mouths and apply it! Ephesians 6:11&16 gives us perfect examples of how to come against the evil one.

Whenever you are confronted with your past or the devil tries to guilt trip you, remember that God tells us not to remember the former things and neither consider the things of the old because He said He will do a new thing in our lives. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Also, remember that in Him you are a new creation, the old things in your life have passed away and everything about you has become new so you are definitely not your past (2 Corinthians 5:7) and finally:

‘We are a chosen generation, called forth to show His excellence…’

We are so special to Him that He has chosen and set us apart to show others His goodness and declare His praises because He’s the one who called us out of the darkness into his wonderful light! (1 Peter 2:9). Don’t think that you are too sinful and shy away from Him, He didn’t die for the righteous and there is a reason why He bought you with such a high price to bring you out of that messy past. I pray that we will all be able to let go of our pasts completely and that the Lord will deliver anyone whose past has a hold on him/her, in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!

God loves you so very much.

Love always,

Mrs. A

If you’re currently going through challenging times and you’d like a listening ear, some encouragement or motivation, please contact me here: talktomrsa@gmail.com