More Than We Can Handle

I’m sure you’ve heard someone say, “God never gives you more than you can handle.” In most cases you hear this when times are tough and something bad has happened in your life. I can tell you from experience that God does give us more than we can handle and He does it for a good reason.

I wonder how this phrase has gotten so popular and wide spread. I guess it’s because we all want to have wishful thinking but it’s just not biblical. In fact, 2 Corinthians tells a story that plainly shows an example of God giving more to Paul than he can handle. Paul was so burdened that he contemplated life itself and thought about death! 

2 Corinthians 1:8-11 states:

“For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that He will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”

Does that sound like God spared Paul because He didn’t want to give him more than he could handle?? God gives us more than we can handle so that we will learn to rely on Him in every situation. In times like these, we can become so weak and discouraged that we cannot go any further. That is the point in which God picks us up and carries us. This truth is beautifully depicted in one of my favorite poems. 

“Footprints in the Sand”

One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand:
one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him
he looked back, at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life
there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it:
"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied:
"My son, My precious child, I love you and I would never leave you,
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

So you see, God does give us more than we can handle, but we can take comfort in knowing that He will never leave us. When things seem to be crumbling around you and all your strength is gone, you can rely on God and trust that He will see you through whatever it is you’re going through. Life is not easy and trials are guaranteed to come our way. There’s only so much we can do because we are not in control. Cast your worries on the Lord because He cares and wants you to rely on Him.