You Have Heard That It Was Said (2)...

...God never gives you more than you can handle. But I say unto thee...mule fritters!

Don't get me wrong, I understand how the idea sounds Biblical. We hear "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear" and think, "See? God won't give you more than you can handle!"

But we need to read ALL of 1 Corinthians 10:13 to get the whole concept: "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.  Paul is specifically talking about temptation; not the stressful or worrisome life situations that threaten to overwhelm us.
     2.  Even if we viewed those life situations as "temptations," God is not promising to make us powerful enough to blast them out of the water. He is promising to "provide a way out."  He is promising to help us endure them.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Truth is...God is not so much interested in strengthening us to the point of being able to handle anything that comes our way as He is longing to have us depend on Him: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me." (Matthew 11:29)