It took forever..really..but it finally happened. Someone finally took one of those aggravating, unrealistic, sayings and turned it on its head with the Word of God. And I am very, very excited to share it. I’m not sure when this particular one started..I could probably research it and find out…but that’s not the point of this blog.

Because here’s the reality. Yes. YES. Yes, He does. YES He does give us more than we can handle. Regularly. Often. And maybe just in my life, I don’t know, but…usually! There are very few days that I feel like I only have just enough to handle..very few. And that, believe it or not, is just how God intends it.

The theory behind this saying is not all bad. It’s a statement generally used to encourage..especially for those facing great moments of trial and suffering. I’ve had it said to me, and in the past I’ve said it to others. But then..God allowed me to see the error in it. He used a sermon on depending on Him, and a Bible study also on dependence to open my eyes and my heart. And this is what I learned..that if He never gives me more than I can handle, why do I need Him??

Isn’t that amazing? I had never thought about that. I had never been shown what it looked like from God’s perspective…and I was stunned. I grew up in the 70’s, when it was all about independence..especially for women. “I am woman, hear me roar” was the battle cry of feminists, and they were everywhere. I waa taught to be self-dependent, a hard worker, and not to be reliant on much for my life. And unfortunately, it was also accepted at church.

Now that’s not all bad. But somewhere in the midst of all that, dependence upon and trust in God got very very blurred. And for a lot of people, it has remained that way. A very prominent viewpoint today is “I am in control of my life, I make the decisions, and even though I am a born again believer, I really believe God just wants to consult and offer guidance in my life”. Which is EXACTLY what this quote reflects. It basically says, “I am handling my life, therefore God will never give me more than I can handle”. And that is SO wrong.

For the purpose of this blog, let’s just deal with the biggies..illness, death, financial loss. In the past year I have known many, many people who have been slammed by one or all of these. Perfectly healthy people (they thought) dying or being diagnosed with terminal illness. A friend who has worked all their life only to lose their ability to work and now faces financial ruin. A friend whose husband left her with the kids and the bills and one salary. Another friend whose son drowned on a fishing trip. These are things that are “more than we can handle”..especially when more than one comes together. Anyone who tells you they aren’t is fooled. How does this quote fit that? And how does it make God look? Like He doesn’t care? Like He made a mistake? Or like He’s just being super vindictive towards that person?

Scripture assures us this is not the case! All through the Bible God’s purpose for our lives is made perfectly clear..we are created in His image, and made to bring Him glory. Period. And the only way Scripture says we bring Him glory is when we are fully surrendered to His will, and desperately dependent on His grace and mercy. It is only when we are weak that God can be strong in us. And it is only when He is strong that He can really use us. If not, then we are handling our life and its issues on our own..with our pitiful, limited resources..and completely ignoring God, His plan, and His power. And usually WE are the ones getting the glory!

So..do you want to believe that God will never give you too much? And that you are fully capable of dealing with everything on your own? I don’t! I am the child of a great big God. I don’t have to be responsible for handling my life..I fully surrendered that to Him at the cross. I know that HE will keep me, guide me, and lead me through things I cannot imagine or cannot forsee. He WILL give me too much..and then HE will deal with it, and carry me through to the other side. Then HE will get the glory, and I will have the privilege of praising Him!