Does God Ever Give Us More Than We Can Handle?
A popular expression used by many Christians today is that “God will never give us more than we can handle.” It’s often shared with a believer facing an overwhelming life event or devastating loss. But is this expression true? Does Scripture support this? Let’s explore the origin of this expression and see if it aligns with God’s Word.
Where Did This Expression Come From?
The origin of this expression can be found within 1 Corinthians 10:13: “ . . . but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able . . . “.
However, this is only part of the verse. To ensure it is correctly interpreted, we must first read the entire verse and then study the context in which it was written:
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
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The author of this letter was the Apostle Paul. He wrote this to the Corinthian Church to address reports he received about disunity, confusion, and sinfulness within the church. At the time the letter was written, the Corinthians were surrounded by every kind of corruption and sin. They likely felt pressure to blend in with everyone else, and some struggled to leave their old sinful life behind. This specific verse was written to encourage them.
The word “temptation” in this verse means an enticement to sin or an internal temptation to sin. Therefore, we know Paul was referring to the temptation to sin and not general suffering in life. Paul assured the Corinthians that no temptation they faced was unique. He assured them (and us) that God is faithful and will always provide a way to overcome or avoid sin with his help. This is an amazing promise! However, it doesn’t mean God will never give us more than we can handle.
What Does Scripture Say About God’s Intervention?
“‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
Many men and women of the Bible faced insurmountable circumstances. Let’s take a look at Joshua, David, and Gideon a few to see if they were able to overcome the challenges they faced.
Joshua
A great military commander in Israel, Joshua led the Israelites after Moses’ death. In Joshua 10, he and the Israelites faced an impossible battle against five kings and their armies. The Israelites were greatly outnumbered, but the Lord told Joshua not to be afraid and that “not one of them will be able to withstand you.” God not only threw the enemy into confusion so they could be defeated, but also rained large hailstones down on them. More enemies died from the hail than were killed by Joshua and his army! Although they were greatly outnumbered, God intervened, and they were victorious.
David
David was a simple shepherd and the youngest in his father’s house. When the armies of Saul faced the formidable Philistine army, David volunteered to fight a Philistine warrior named Goliath, who had been taunting the army of Israel for 40 days. Goliath stood 9 feet 9 inches tall, and the Israelite army cowered before him. David, however, only saw a mortal man defying an almighty God and demanded, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
He volunteered to fight Goliath, and armed with his strong faith and confidence in God, a shepherd’s staff, a sling, and five stones, he faced Goliath. David struck Goliath with a stone, he fell to the ground, and then David killed him with a sword.
David had no military training, no armor, and no sword; but he had strong faith in a faithful, mighty God who intervened to ensure David’s victory. Was David’s load too much for him to bear alone? Absolutely! But with a giant-sized faith, David was victorious.
Gideon
Gideon’s his family belonged to the weakest clan of their tribe and he was the least in his family. Even so, God chose Gideon to save Israel from the Midianites. He gathered 32,000 men to face an army so large that it looked like locusts covering the valley. And although Gideon’s men were overwhelmingly outnumbered, God sent away all but 300 of his men. God then told Gideon to arm each man not with a sword but with a trumpet and an empty jar with a torch inside.
To their astonishment, when the men blew their trumpets and smashed their jars, the enemy fled! Even more amazing, the Lord made the enemy turn on each other with their swords. Without God’s intervention, Gideon’s men would not have been victorious, even with 32,000 men. Their burden was too large. God demonstrated that victory does not depend on our strength or numbers but rather on obedience and commitment to Him.
Does God Give Us More Than We Can Handle?
So, what can we learn from these three men, each with a burden more than he could handle? Could Joshua’s army have possibly conquered the armies of five kings without help? Is it likely that a shepherd with no military training could knock down a 10-foot tall seasoned warrior with a sling and a stone? Could Gideon’s 300 men stand against an innumerable army with only a trumpet, jar and torch? The answer to all three questions is, “Not without God’s intervention!”
So does God ever give us more than we can handle? If the question is whether he gives us more than we can handle alone, the answer is “no.” However, if the question is whether he gives us more than we can handle with his divine help or the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ, the answer is a resounding “yes!”
In this life, we are not promised that we will not experiece trouble or suffering. In fact, we are warned many times in scripture that we WILL experience these things. What we are promised is the favor of a powerful God that will stand beside us, comfort us, and guide us through any situation that comes our way. We must cast our cares upon him, seek his face, and strive to align with his will. Then we will see his victory!
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.”