Does the Bible Say, "God won't give you more than you can handle"?
I was thinking about this question that ISFC asked, and it's a really good one. Does the Bible actually say that? I know there are a lot of people who go through some serious stuff - much worse than I have. Often when people are going through difficulty, other people might say this sentence with good intentions. They want to comfort us and give us hope. They might not know what else to say. But is the sentence "God won't give us more than we can handle" in the Bible and is this sentence really accurate?
Well, not exactly. Here are some problems I've found with the sentence:
- it puts the blame on God. Is God giving us the burden for us to try to hold up?
- this phrase is usually put in the context as handling heavy burdens in life.
- it says "more than you can handle", which makes it seem that we have to try to handle it alone... "you're on your own, buddy. I'll be here on the sidelines."
This phrase, "God won't give you more than you can handle," is loosely based off of 1 Corinthians 10:13 which states,
"But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it." (From the New Living Translation)
So let's compare this verse to the first three points I listed:
- we can see that, yes, we will deal with temptations that are difficult. God will prevent the temptations from becoming too strong for us. He's not inflicting temptation, but He's allowing temptation and restraining it from becoming overpowering.
- Second, this passage deals with temptation to sin, not burdens that are due to a fallen world.
- Third, it says that when we are tempted, God will show us a way out, whether it's leaving the tempting situation, closing our eyes, plugging our ears, getting on our knees, focusing on goodness rather than on the bad stuff. This verse shows that God is right there with us and helping us, even when we don't see it.
Jesus promised at least three things:
1) we will deal with hardship and difficulty because of what’s happened to the world, 2) He said “Come to me, all of you who are weary with heavy burdens and I will give you rest” paraphrased from Matthew 11:28-30 (this is one reason why prayer is so important) 3) As long as we remain with Jesus, one day every tear will be wiped away.
I posted a link (click on the title of this blog) that gave some more insight to this.
Also, the sentence "The Bible tells us that God won't give us more than we can handle" is a common phrase among many Christians. If you hear it, don't bite their heads off, and don't question them into the ground. Use good wisdom and gentleness to explain why that sentence isn't accurate.
The information here can be used either as medicine or bullets. I'd prefer medicine.
Labels: Theology
posted by Heather R. at 7/07/2006 04:12:00 PM
10 Comments:
i like this blog. i've heard that particular statement many times over.
I agree with you thoroughly, HR, that the statement is not neccessarily accurate. i think that people, with their good intentions, intend for it to mean what it should mean, but with the way thigns are phrased i think it comes out less accurate.
hmm....
question for anyone willing to answer it:
today in the sermon Pastor greg said that we don't need to ramble on and on when we pray, and that we don't need to beg and such.
i can see how the whole askign for forgiveness over and over to teh point of begging can be a bad thing, but its the talking that gets me.
When i pray to god i talk to him a lot, just about little things liek what happened to me that day, or any emotiom i' feelign at the moment, and i've always been told that this is what your supposed to do is talk to god like so.
Pastor greg says that you shouldn't use so many words in prayer because thats somethign that other people did in hopes that their prayer would be heard.
is it wrong of me to have such long conversations with god? i don't talk to him for long periods of time strictly because i want my prayer to be heard. i'm not stupid, i know that god hears all prayers.
just a thought. lol
7/09/2006 1:45 PM
WHERE IS EVERYONE????
lol
i posted this so long ago it seems. has everyone forgotten about such a precious and insightful blog such as this?
lol
side note: i updated my blog for anyone who actually looked at it
7/10/2006 10:08 PM
Hey WB! I'm still here. Today's just been buuusy! But about the prayer thing, yeah, the way you pray is totally on track. Pastor Greg was talking about the types of prayers that really have no heart behind it. Just mindless repetition.
For example, for most muslims (as far as I've heard it), they are commanded to pray 5 times a day. The daily prayer (that is previously recorded) comes on loudly in the speakers throughout the muslim towns, all men get out the rugs (whatever they're called) they pray on, and they bow at certain times during the loudspeaker-prayer. Is there true relationship with God behind this prayer? As far as I know, no. What you're doing is sharing yourself with God... talking with Him.
Sometimes people will repeat the Lord's Prayer without any reflection on that prayer and without personalizing it (which is what I think Pastor Greg is basically getting at). Repeating "Hail Marys" as prescribed in Catholic churches is also (for most people) just a mindless repetition to get forgiveness... some people have told me that when they had to say 10 Hail Marys, they just said it as fast as they could in order to get on with the rest of the day; no relationship.
7/11/2006 12:09 AM
lol good point. ok, just making sure that i was on track.6.6 thanks!!
7/11/2006 6:30 PM
lol Yep, I'd say you're doing juuuuuuust fine! :)
Should we go on to other arguments used against Christianity? One thing I was thinking about is how to respond when people say things such as, "Christianity is a crutch", "You're Christian only because you were raised that way", "Christianity is so intolerant", etc. Also what to say when people say things such as, "How do you know we didn't come from aliens?". Hmm... then after a couple days, then perhaps we can discuss religions. Hmmm... what do you all think? Is there anything that you reeeeeeeally want to discuss? I'm all open! ;)
7/12/2006 1:01 AM
hmmm. yep that sounds liek a good plan to me.^.^
on top of those suggestion, you know what one i get alll the time?
'Why would you take the harder road of christianity? there are so many rules to follow. you'll do nothing but dissapoint this so called god of yours, and even if heaven did exist you'd never make it.'
thats a generall statement. nothing really specific.
i've always answered that the hard thigns are what make me a better person, i have my own fun that i think actually is fun, that theres lots of things that aren't what they seem in christianity (for ex: a lot of people think that church hymms are the only type of christian music. they have no idea about people like toby mac or disciple. and when i tell them that switchfoot is christian, they freak.)
then i move on to explain that yeah, i will end up dissapointing him, but that He is the one who gives out ultimate forgiveness, and e is the one who died on the cross, so no matter how many times i dissapoint him he will still love me, and so long as i follow his word and ask for forgiveness, he will acccept me into heaven.
anything that i should be adding to that??
7/12/2006 8:44 AM
this is GOOD! I'll have to think about this more and perhaps I'll discuss it on Sunday at church. hmmm... God's Law, God's Love, God's Grace, and us. hmmmmm..... Thanks WB! :)
But until then, I think this would be good for the next post to help me brainstorm. You up for brainstorming with me on this topic?
7/12/2006 10:53 PM
thanks for the compliment i feel all special.^.^
i will gladly help you brainstorm!
7/12/2006 11:02 PM
i have another topic for you to brainstorm, one of which was brough up to me by my mom which actually makes a really good post.
Its about worshipping jesus via music.
Is it so wrogn to worship jesus through music that people my age liek to listen to? (ex: toby mac, disciple, switchfoot, jeramy camp, etc.)
My mom has a friend i guess that thinks the only way to properly worship jesus is with gospel hymms like what you sing in church on sunday.
Its my own opinion that having christian songs be in the same beats and forms as modern rock bands (or whatever your musical taste is) is beneficial for people who want to listen to the music they like without hearing about the lead singers sexual escapades.
Dont' get me wrong, i think that some of the hymms sung in church are great. a few in mind are also very touching to the heart, and serve their purpose well.
This guy that my mom knows, however, thinks that having christian rock music is a disgraceful form of worshiping jesus.
I think this would be a good blog idea, if your still looking to brainstorm.
^.^
7/13/2006 11:30 PM
Wow. Yeah, I've heard some stuff like that before. The idea that there's only one way (my way!) to worship is totally, 100%, absolutely wrong! (Do you see the steam coming out of my ears? hehe)
Yeah, good discussion topic! We'll do this right after the "God's Law, Love, Grace and us" topic! :)
7/14/2006 3:58 PM
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