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More Than We Can Handle

There’s an old saying I hear from time to time that just burns my biscuits: “God will never give you more than you can handle.” I find this cliché complete garbage. For starters, we can’t find this idea anywhere in Scripture. I’m sure King David, the apostle Paul, and every saint in between would laugh at the mere suggestion. All of them faced scenarios that were far more than they could handle. They not only needed but also required divine power and God’s grace to withstand the Enemy and overcome trials.

Just imagine King David running toward Goliath and yelling back to his brothers, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this!” Of course, that’s not how the famous Bible story went down. Instead, the young shepherd boy charged out toward him, boasting solely in the greatness and power of his God. It was in the Lord’s ability that David found the courage to overcome his weakness and slay the giant before him. David was humble enough to realize that Goliath was more than he could handle but was nothing compared to his God. It was young David’s confidence in the Lord that emboldened him to prevail in battle. Sure, we all face problems, people, and pitfalls that prove more than we can handle, but nothing we face is ever more than He can handle.

In addition, this belief that God will never give us more than we can handle goes against the realities of the Christian life. Jesus prepared us to expect dark days when our faith would be tested and seasons in which we would be called to stand firm against darkness. We are called to stand because in these times of profound weakness, we see and experience God’s tremendous power on our behalf. In the moments that are “more than we can handle,” we discover the greatness of our God.

• When your relationships are more than you can handle, stand and see.
• When your finances are more than you can handle, stand and see.
• When your children are more than you can handle, stand and see.
• When your emotions are more than you can handle, stand and see.
• When your broken heart is more than you can handle, stand and see.

It’s okay if you feel as though your current situation is more than you can handle. That’s where you can experience God’s greatest strength. You may be at the end of yourself, and that’s okay because in our weakness He is strong.

When we find ourselves with our backs against the wall, our prayers are fueled by desperation and our faith is zeroed in on the only One who can remedy our situations. In seasons of life that are more than we can handle, we experience God’s power and presence profoundly. In these tests, we learn to stand.