I can't handle it!

God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, 

but with the testing he will also provide the way out 

so that you may be able to endure it. 

1 Corinthians 10:13

The above passage is the one.

The passage 'responsible' for people saying

"God will never give you any more than you can handle"

However, like many of the things we think the Bible says

(that it does not actually say),

something has gotten lost in the translation

from the words of 1 Corinthians

to the often-repeated phrase.

The problem is, the phrase leads us

to the image of God as the grand puppet master

who pulls all the stings.

Good things happen? God caused that.

Bad things happen? God caused that, too.

And it must just be that you don't understand

God's reasoning for the bad things.

But don't worry...God won't give you

any more than you can handle.

Like many pastors, I am really not fond of this picture of God

because it doesn't jive with Jesus.

And if "in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Colossians 1:19)

then if you want to know the character of God,

look at the character of Christ.

Christ doesn't push me to the point of breaking,

Christ catches me when I do break.

The message of the cross is NOT

"buck up, you can handle this!"

It is the opposite...

"when you can't handle it, I will."

So today, I am going to choose to be grateful

for the moments when I can't handle it...

because the cross is my "way out" provided by God...

and my broken moments

open my eyes to the reality of Christ's love.

PRAYER:

God, help me to admit the ways I am broken today

and give me the courage to trust in your promises,

that the end of my strength is the beginning of yours.

Amen.