I Thought That God Wouldn’t Give Me More Than I Can Handle

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. —Proverbs 16:18

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. —1 Timothy 6:10

Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. —Proverbs 13:24

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

Main Point: God may give us more than we can handle on our own because he wants us to trust in him.

God may very well give us more than we can handle.

The cords of death entangle me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. —Psalm 116:3

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. —2 Corinthians 1:8

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” —Mark 14:34

God has a history of putting his people in situations where we have no choice but to rely on him.

The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. —Psalm 34:19

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. —1 John 4:4

“When we become aware that life will give us more than we can handle and come to grips with this, we find a promise: God is faithful to meet us in the mess and in the pain.” Michael Hidalgo

Trust that God will help you overcome the hardest parts of your life and that he will meet you in the mess and in the pain.

Takeaway: God never promises that life will be easy, but he does promise to be with us every step of the way.

Discussion Questions

1.Have you ever been guilty of telling someone that God won’t give them more than they can handle? Why do you think Christians sometimes default to saying that?
2. What was a time when you felt like God gave you more than you could handle? What did you learn from that chapter of your life?
3. How weary is your soul right now? How well are you doing relying on God’s strength and not your own?

Table Discussion Question - In your life, or in the lives of people close to you, how have you seen God be faithful to meet us in the mess and in the pain?