Digging Depper - God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle

Questions

In this study what did I learn about God?

What did I learn about people?

When it comes to God making a way of escape—what does God want me to understand?

Why do we give into temptation? Share your personal story with the group.

Key Verses

Study - 1 Corinthians 10 NIV

Chads Full Sermon Notes

“I know you’re going through a tough time right now. You feel like you’re sinking. The burden is too heavy. You don’t know how much more you can bear. But it’s going to be all right. You’re going to make it through. Remember, God never gives you more than you can handle.”

People definitely mean well when they say those words. They mean to encourage and strengthen others. They certainly don’t intend to place obstacles in the path of someone’s faith. And at times, words such as this may in fact bring comfort.

This is a half truth that we often accept and repeat without giving them much thought. It’s an idea we really need to reflect upon carefully before using it to encourage someone. We need to consider where this statement may wrong and then search the truth behind the fake news.

Start with first 4 words: “God wont give you….” When we say those words, we are implying that whatever difficult or painful things are happening in your life, God gave them to you…..God gave you this horrible, painful, hurtful thing—but he’ll stop giving you more suffering before you reach your breaking point, so don’t worry!

What does this verse really mean?

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13-14 NIV

Temptation was everywhere….many people were joining the church and trying to follow Jesus, but some of them also were going back to their former ways, and Paul was trying to help them.

1 . Learn from the mistakes of others

We can and should learn from and pay attention to the warning from the bad example of Israel. We have greater responsibility, because we can learn from Israel’s mistakes. Study 1 Cor. 10

Today’s pressures make it easy to ignore or forget the lessons of the past. But Paul cautions us to remember the lessons the Israelites learned about God so we can avoid repeating their errors. That is why it is so important to study the Bible regularly so that these lessons remind us of how God wants us to live. We need not repeat their mistakes.

2 . Understand you are vulnerable

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”

Temptation works like rocks in a harbor; when the tide is low, everybody sees the danger and avoids it. But Satan’s strategy in temptation is to raise the tide, and to cover over the dangers of temptation. Then he likes to crash you upon the covered rocks.

3 . Our temptation is not unique

“No temptation has overtaken you exept such as is common to man” We often want to ecuse our circumstances as “very unique” and a “special exception,” but God reminds us that our temptation is not unique. Many other men and women of God have faced the same or similar temptation, and have found the strength in God to overcome the temptation.

4 . There is a way of escape
God has promised to supervise all temptation that comes at us through the world, the flesh or the devil. He promises to limit it according to our capability to endure it—according to our capability as we rely on Him, not our capability as we rely only on ourselves.

With temptation will also make the way of escape: God has promised to not only limit our temptation, but also to provide a way of escape in tempting times. He will never force us to use the way of escape, but he will make the way of escape available. It’s up to us to take God’s way of escape.