God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle

This concept is not Biblical, and yet, often offered to help people through tough times.

Ezekiel 30:1-26

Reference: I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. (Ezekiel 30:23 NIV)

Explore: I recently read an article called “Confronting the lie that God won’t give you more than you can handle.” It outlined that this concept is not Biblical, and yet, often offered (albeit well intentioned) to help people through tough times.

What this trite comment infers is that God has delivered these tragedies to you, and I have to admit that I also don’t think that is correct.

Application: In the Old Testament we read of God’s wrath on a rebellious nation. Here in Ezekiel we hear of God allowing enemies to defeat those He called family. And from this we get a theology that God is the one who delivers pain and grief.

However, that is not my current understanding. People can make poor choices and suffer the natural consequences, however, in our fallen world bad things can also happen to good people.

We have all fallen short and deserve pain and suffering, but that is not how our God operates. I believe painful things still occur but they often are not directly connected to our own actions.

This doesn’t mean I lack faith in God’s omnipotence, it means that I see God as a loving Father when I need Him most.

Bad things will happen, we will experience pain and grief, but it doesn’t stop there. In that pain God is there for us, to comfort and love us, and to acknowledge our feelings and sympathise with us.

Prayer: Lord, we all experience loss and challenges. May we have the strength to ask You why and the courage to accept there may not be an answer. Amen.

What grief are you currently experiencing?

Ezekiel, God, grief, loss, love, pain, sympathy