When You Have More Than You Can Handle
Your life was a wreck, a hot mess, a battleground with too many casualties to count. And then someone said to you, in an attempt to be helpful and well-meaning. “God will never give you more than you can handle.”
This phrase has been thrown around quite a bit in the church and for many Christians, it seemed like a godly principle. But then when life did become too much and the breaking point was in the rear view mirror, doubt in God set in.
“Why would God do this or allow this…I thought He would never give me more than I could handle?”
The truth is, this phrase is far from biblical. And God will give you more than you can bear at times.
A Possible Origin
So, where did this phrase come from? 1 Corinthians 10:13 seems to give us a good clue.
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 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 endure it.”
Sounds a bit similar, doesn’t it? But it’s important to note that this passage is about temptation, not suffering. In addition, the promise is that there is always a way out from our sin.
This passage is used by Paul to encourage Christians to keep their focus on God so they don’t stumble and fall. But even if they do, God is gracious enough to provide a way out, which will always involve turning back to Him. It’s true repentance and unconditional love combined.
What Does the Bible Say?
Here’s what we know the Bible DOES say regarding our troubles.
John 16:33, “ I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “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.”
And finally, Jesus said in the garden in Matthew 26:38, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”
It’s quite obvious you and I will face problems that are just too much for us to bear. We are not promised easy lives, however, we are promised God in the midst of the storm. When you are weak, then He is strong.
How to Navigate the “Too Much”
Now that we know we will have more than we can handle at times, let’s finish with those proper mindsets we should have when times are tough.
Let God be God. If we could handle everything on our own and maintain control, we wouldn’t need a Savior. And that would be a lot of pressure on us; pressure God doesn’t want His kids to deal with. He loves us too much to trust us with the cares of the world. That’s His job. He’s good at being God. He wants us to come to Him in harsh, more-than-we-can-handle times because then we can see Him step up and show off.
Your weaknesses are actually beautiful places for God to shine. When you feel weak—when you’ve got too much to handle—lean into the weakness and rely on His strength.
If you are feeling like God has given you more than you can handle, that’s normal. You are not a bad Christian; you are just like the rest of us! Go to Jesus with your burden, confess your weakness and need for His strength, and let God be God in your hardship.