It Starts Small

One of the most well told lies goes something like thins: “God will never give you more than you can handle.”

Many teachers, preachers, and believers base this off today’s scripture. The world says this, but God’s Word does not say this. 

This verse of often taken out of context, as with many verses in the Bible. We must always pull back and study the verses surrounding to see what God is speaking. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Paul is speaking about temptation and how to prepare ourselves to face it. At the end of Corinthians 9. Paul encourages the believers in Corinth to practice strict spiritual discipline. 

When we start at chapter 10, we have to remember this was a complete letter written. It was not broken into chapters and verses. So we continue in reading with no pause. There was not change of subject. So Paul continues from talking about strict spiritual discipline because he did not want the people of Corinth to follow the bad example of Israel in the wilderness who gave into temptation and disobeyed God. 

The disobedience of that generation caused them all to not see or step into the promised land, except two. The entire generation that left Egypt, died in the desert. Their story was a warning for the Corinthians and us!

 These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 

1 Corinthians 10:11

Then Paul gives us the instructions on what we should do instead of giving into temptation.

¹² So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. ¹³ No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Paul says we need to be vigilant and stand guard. We must never get arrogant and think we are too strong to fall into sin. This line of thinking is a sure way to trip, stumble and fall into the enemy’s net. 

We must resist believing the lies that our temptation is is extreme or unusual. Paul says, no temptation will come that has not been apart of the human experience. There really is nothing new under the sun. 

Paul also encourages us to look for God’s escape plan. God is faithful and will not allow any temptation to come our way that is too great to resist. He will always provide a way for us to say no and the strength to walk away from it. 

The real promise is found in today’s verse: God shows us the greatest faithful mercy by never allowing us to be tempted to sin beyond what we can resist. 

Think about that for a moment. Paul no where says, “God will not give you more than you can handle.” Paul is saying, God will not allow TEMPTATIONS to over take you. That is apples and oranges in comparison. 

SO let us revisit the question: Does God ever give us more hardship than we can handle? The short answer is yes, but let us turn to another one of Paul’s letters for a more in-depth understanding. 

Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians begins with him talking about their hardships is Asia.

⁸ We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. ¹⁰ He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again ¹¹ while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

2 Corinthians 1:8-11

Paul, who wrote both Corinthians 10:13 and this scripture knew that God would allow him to experience more hardship than he could bear. He lived it. He has pressure in Asia that far beyond what he could endure. 

Why would God allow them to experience trials and difficulties, grief and pain, more than a person could bear? So they would rely on God and not their own strength and power. This applies to our lives. 

Look closely at verse 10:

 ¹⁰ He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again 

2 Corinthians 2:10

When we are unable to deliver ourselves, God is able!

God never promised that He will never give us more than we can handle. Instead, He holds out His hand and tells us to draw close to Him and lean upon Him. He is strength and courage. Comfort and safety. Deliverer and Redeemer. 

Not only are we promised a way through temptations, we are also promised that when we can not, He can!