The Bridge Church
The Bible Doesn’t Say That: God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle
August 7, 2022
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
1. We can learn to depend on God’s presence
2. We can experience God’s power in our weakness
3. We can comfort each other
God will give us more than we can handle, but not more than He can handle.
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time
I need to be baptized
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/small-groups
I need to join a serve team
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time
I need to be baptized
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/small-groups
I need to join a serve team
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
Dig Deeper:
1. Have you ever seen something you believed to be true, only later you find out that it was fake? Share an example or two.
2. What phrases did you hear growing up that you still use today? Did where or how you grew up influence what slang or jargon you used?
3. Has someone ever given you advice that sounded spiritual but is actually something God never really said? Have you ever been told, “God will never give you more than you can handle?” Did it help you in your situation?
4. If you were to share wisdom with someone curious about your faith, claiming it was from the Bible, only for them to find out later it wasn’t in the Bible, how might that impact their view of your faith?
5. How much can you “handle”? Do you overwhelm easily? Share a multi-tasking scenario you handle on a regular basis.
6. When you are overwhelmed, what do you most likely to do?
7. Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. How is this verse saying something different than “God will never give you more than you can handle”?
8. Can you think of examples of people from the Bible who at times endured “more than they could handle”? What did they do during these times?
9. Read Mark 14:33-34. When you stand this passage up against the statement, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” does it make sense? Is there a potentially truer statement that we might say that aligns more biblically?
10. Read Psalm 145:18-19. David wrote these words from the deep experiences of hard situations he encountered in life. What does this passage tell us about our relationship with God when life gets hard?
11. Have you experienced the presence of God when you had more than you could handle? Explain what happened.
12. Why do we oftentimes only reach out to God when life is challenging? Why is it important to walk with God when life is going well AND when life is going wrong?
13. Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. We’re often afraid of appearing weak or overwhelmed. Why do you think this is the case?
14. How does it make you feel to think about laying something down and giving it to God that you care a lot about?
15. Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. How can we begin to understand our weaknesses as strengths and blessings in our relationship with God?
16. Read 2 Corinthians 1:4,10-11. God uses other people in our lives to help get through tough seasons. Who in your life has been there for you? Share an example of how they’ve supported you during a hard time.
17. Describe a time when God has turned your pain into purpose to comfort others.
Live It Out:
1. What’s consuming most of your energy right now? Are you overwhelmed? Identify areas in your life where you might feel it is more than you can handle. What do you think God is asking you to let Him carry?
2. What weaknesses do you need to embrace to experience the power of God? Write down in a column a list of what you consider a weakness about yourself. Next to it, write down in another column all the ways that God is powerful. Pray to Him, praising for your weaknesses and for His greatness.
3. How can you seek God in all that you do, no matter what the circumstance? What habits can you create in order to make God’s presence the first place you go when you are overwhelmed? Identify next steps you can take when you feel like there is more than you can handle.
Examples:
• Tell someone you trust what you plan to do when the next time you are overwhelmed, and ask them to encourage you when that time comes.
• Make your own list of Scripture verses to read when you feel like you have more than you can handle.
• Take a step of faith by signing up for that area of serving that you have wanted to pursue but have felt scared or ill-equipped to do.
4. Who are the people in your life that have helped you when you are overwhelmed? Reach out to them to thank them for being a comfort to you! If you need more people to come alongside you, consider joining a small group.
Reading Plan:
Monday: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Tuesday: John 15
Wednesday: Psalm 61
Thursday: Matthew 6:25-34
Friday: Philippians 4:10-14
Saturday: Proverbs 3:1-12
Recommended Resources:
More Than You Can Handle, by Nate Pyle
Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense, by Paul David Tripp
It's Not Supposed To Be This Way, by Lysa TerKeurst
1. Have you ever seen something you believed to be true, only later you find out that it was fake? Share an example or two.
2. What phrases did you hear growing up that you still use today? Did where or how you grew up influence what slang or jargon you used?
3. Has someone ever given you advice that sounded spiritual but is actually something God never really said? Have you ever been told, “God will never give you more than you can handle?” Did it help you in your situation?
4. If you were to share wisdom with someone curious about your faith, claiming it was from the Bible, only for them to find out later it wasn’t in the Bible, how might that impact their view of your faith?
5. How much can you “handle”? Do you overwhelm easily? Share a multi-tasking scenario you handle on a regular basis.
6. When you are overwhelmed, what do you most likely to do?
7. Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. How is this verse saying something different than “God will never give you more than you can handle”?
8. Can you think of examples of people from the Bible who at times endured “more than they could handle”? What did they do during these times?
9. Read Mark 14:33-34. When you stand this passage up against the statement, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” does it make sense? Is there a potentially truer statement that we might say that aligns more biblically?
10. Read Psalm 145:18-19. David wrote these words from the deep experiences of hard situations he encountered in life. What does this passage tell us about our relationship with God when life gets hard?
11. Have you experienced the presence of God when you had more than you could handle? Explain what happened.
12. Why do we oftentimes only reach out to God when life is challenging? Why is it important to walk with God when life is going well AND when life is going wrong?
13. Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. We’re often afraid of appearing weak or overwhelmed. Why do you think this is the case?
14. How does it make you feel to think about laying something down and giving it to God that you care a lot about?
15. Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. How can we begin to understand our weaknesses as strengths and blessings in our relationship with God?
16. Read 2 Corinthians 1:4,10-11. God uses other people in our lives to help get through tough seasons. Who in your life has been there for you? Share an example of how they’ve supported you during a hard time.
17. Describe a time when God has turned your pain into purpose to comfort others.
Live It Out:
1. What’s consuming most of your energy right now? Are you overwhelmed? Identify areas in your life where you might feel it is more than you can handle. What do you think God is asking you to let Him carry?
2. What weaknesses do you need to embrace to experience the power of God? Write down in a column a list of what you consider a weakness about yourself. Next to it, write down in another column all the ways that God is powerful. Pray to Him, praising for your weaknesses and for His greatness.
3. How can you seek God in all that you do, no matter what the circumstance? What habits can you create in order to make God’s presence the first place you go when you are overwhelmed? Identify next steps you can take when you feel like there is more than you can handle.
Examples:
• Tell someone you trust what you plan to do when the next time you are overwhelmed, and ask them to encourage you when that time comes.
• Make your own list of Scripture verses to read when you feel like you have more than you can handle.
• Take a step of faith by signing up for that area of serving that you have wanted to pursue but have felt scared or ill-equipped to do.
4. Who are the people in your life that have helped you when you are overwhelmed? Reach out to them to thank them for being a comfort to you! If you need more people to come alongside you, consider joining a small group.
Reading Plan:
Monday: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Tuesday: John 15
Wednesday: Psalm 61
Thursday: Matthew 6:25-34
Friday: Philippians 4:10-14
Saturday: Proverbs 3:1-12
Recommended Resources:
More Than You Can Handle, by Nate Pyle
Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense, by Paul David Tripp
It's Not Supposed To Be This Way, by Lysa TerKeurst