I am not a theologian, but I do feel like I have been given some insight and would like to write about what I am learning. If someone finds the following false, please feel free to email me. I want to keep growing in Truth.
I keep hearing throughout all of this, "God will not give you more than you can bear," however, I cannot find this anywhere in Scripture. I think it is actually unbiblical to say that statement. When things get really hard for people, we like to say the above statement as a form of comfort. I have said it before. People say it to me now ALL. THE. TIME. But, I am just not sure it is true. I have searched for a Scripture that might indicate this and have yet to find one. When did this become the Christian norm to say? It's like most of the church has adopted this as sound theology. In fact, my friend text me the other night and told me (w/out me addressing the issue) she, too, thought it was completely unbiblical to say "God won't give us more than we can handle." In the sense of trusting God to see us through things-even the worst things- for me, the loss of my two children- we can, however, hold onto the hope implied from the statement. Instead in Scripture I find this: "Though He slay me; yet, I will trust in Him" (Job 13), "In this world you WILL have troubles" (John 16) "Pick up your cross and follow me" (Luke 9, Matthew 16) "Be patient in tribulation" (Romans 12), "Sufferings produce endurance" (Romans 5) And so on and so on....
I see the opposite of that statement being true. I have been dealt more than I can handle. You can ask my husband- I am not "handling" any of this well. God's grace is getting me through. And to quit believing that statement has helped me trust the Lord more. Because when I lived by the statement, I kept asking God "why would you give me this?". I just don't think He did. And I don't think He expects me to handle it well. It just sucks. And, I need to hold onto real truth in this time... as I am being bombarded with arrows from the evil one continuously. "It's your fault"; "God doesn't love you"; "If you would have had more faith, they would have lived"; "God doesn't care about your prayers" and on and on... Sometimes I feel like I am drowning in these thoughts. Thank you for praying against them.
So these are the things I can find to be true and Scripturally sound: God loves me. (I don't love myself well.) God cares about me. (I feel selfish caring about me.) God allows things to happen, but it doesn't mean He caused them. God is in control. (I am NOT in control.) God knows all things. (I don't know all things.) And God has not and will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. But in this verse, there is a difference in what we can handle vs. temptations.
I am choosing to trust God with this mustard seed of faith.
