1 Cor. 10:1-4; 11-13
Thank you for
joining us here as we continue our sermon series on
“Quotes and Misquotes We Live By.”
“God never gives us more than we can handle….” – When we encounter an illness, disaster, or crisis, someone will remind us, “Well, you know what the Good Book says— ‘God never gives us more than we can handle.’” I’ve heard these words…and I have said them to others. Have you?
Where Does This Come From? – This misquote comes from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians where he writes these words: “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” (1 Cor. 10:13b). Paul set these words in a recounting of the Hebrews exodus from Egypt with Moses. On the journey, the people are tempted to turn their back on God. Their trials tempt them to cross a line. So Paul reminds the Corinthians, “God…will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” “Tempted” is from the Greek word peirasmos…a word that can and does mean “tempt” or “test” or “try” (as in a ‘trial.’)
James addresses tempting or testing in his letter to the churches. He reminds the churches that, “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone…” (James 1:13). Trial, test, temptation – all the same word (peirasmos), and from James, all the same wisdom: God does not tempt us or test us.
Paul agrees with James: “God…will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” (1 Cor. 10:13b). God is not doing the tempting, testing, trying. And good news is that when the testing of our faith comes, when trials of trust are thrown at us, when we are tempted to step out of God’s will, we will always have a way of escape—a way to overcome the temptation, to pass the test, to survive the trial of our faith.
Back to Where We Started – So, “God never gives us more than we can handle.” Whatever it is we are facing, God is not giving it to us. The brokenness of our world may weigh heavy on us. Principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness may come against us. People around us or we ourselves may make decisions that cause us pain and suffering. But, God is not giving us anything like that. Whatever it is we face like this, it is not coming from God.
Now, “Never…more than we can handle.” What does that mean to handle something? I’d like to ask Jesus how he “handled” the cross where he suffered and died. I’d like to ask the 10 disciples who were martyred for the faith how they “handled” the situations that killed them. I would like to talk with all the missionaries who went to foreign lands and died at the hands of those they went to serve—how did they “handle” that? I want to hear from the faithful Christians who encountered cancer or COVID or whatever illness or accident that took their lives—what did “handling that” looked like? I am not sure what “handle means, but I know what it doesn’t mean—it doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed to make it out alive.
Conclusions— We stand before an illness, a disaster, a crisis. A well-meaning person, probably a Christian, a follower of Jesus, comes us to us and says, “Fear not, my friend, because God never gives us more than we can handle.” What does that really mean? Something like, “Suck it up and carry on.” But, that’s not the final word today.
You see, we do have promises that we can
hold on to (and share with others) when we face illness, disasters, and crises:
God is with us—"Even though I pass through the
Valley of the shadow of death, you are with me.” In Hebrews 13:5 we find God’s
promise, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” Jesus promises in Matthew 28,
“I am with you always.”
God is good—Jesus shows us that God is good. And, in
Romans 8:28, Paul writes, “We know that God works all things together for good
for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
(CEB)
This is not the end—In John 14:1-4, Jesus tells his disciples (and tells us): “My Father’s house has many rooms… I go and prepare a place for you.” And to the criminal on the cross by his side (as he was “handling” things), Jesus declared: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
We need to know and speak truth—sold, grounded, biblical truth when we have pain and when we meet people in theirs. What did Leslie Weatherhead say about holding on to half-truths and lies? Writing near London during World War II, he points out, “…Those who take refuge in a lie are like those who [seek safety in an] air-raid shelter made out of…plywood painted to look like stone. When they want shelter the most, it will let them down.”
Let us embrace truth for ourselves and for others. Let us—in love, with grace—hold on to and speak the promises of Scripture rather than well-intended, misguided words of culture. God is with us…God is good…This is not the end.
These are God’s good words and promises for us today. Amen.
I hope you
will join us for this entire series: “Quotes and Misquotes We Live By.”
Next in the series: “Money Is the Root of All Evil.”
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