I don't know about you, but the phrase, "God won't give you more than you can handle" bothers me. It bothers me because it means I don't need God. I mean, if I can always handle everything that comes my way, where is the need for dependence? When am I ever going to be stretched?
That....and I'm a parent. Seriously. What parent has ever thought, "God gave me everything I would ever need to raise these little humans. Yeah!!!" NO, no, no, no!!!!
OK. That's the pet peeve that was on my mind this morning. I my mind is already geared up for things like "dependence," and "self-reliance," and "humility," and "I want to be God." Er, I mean... Never mind.
So, I am thinking along the lines of how God gives us things we can't handle to help remind us that we are NOT the end all, be all. That we need God and that our strength is in trusting Him when we don't understand what is going on.
Then I saw this little phrase in a book by Paul Tripp. "God never calls you to a task without giving you what you need to do it. He never send you without going with you."
Now. I haven't read the book yet. It is on my list, but I have another I'm working on first. So I can't vouch for the authors intent, but I suspect I'm fine with this.
What is great about this is that I am full of myself. I mean, I am so incredibly obsessed with being a super hero and saving the day that I can't get past my egotism. Right? I mean, when I think about God giving us what we need to complete a task, I always default to how amazing God is making me... Oh come on. Don't tell me I'm alone.
Example: God gives me a difficult circumstance and it shows how great I have gotten at being patient. God brings along someone in need of help, and it shows how humble and altruistic God has made me. Right? RIGHT????
Or not. In fact, that is just a reminder that I am a egocentric, worshiper-of-myself, sinner who needs the love and grace of a God who loves me.
Instead, what this statement reminds me of is that when I remember that God has given me everything I need for a situation, it is because He is there and He is what I need for those situations.
Remembering that this doesn't take away the sting, the pain, the confusion, anger, frustration, sadness, sickness, or depression. Those parts are all still there. But, instead of emphasizing me and my greatness (which will ultimately add to my frustration when I fail) it emphasizes my dependence and His sovereignty. Not that I understand everything that God allows. Absolutely not. Many things in life that have happened to me and to people I care about, I don't understand why God let them happen. But I can continue to trust that He knows what He is doing. And that when I enter a circumstance that seems to big for me I can remember: It is. And that's OK because God is with me and it isn't too big for Him.
To God be the glory.
That....and I'm a parent. Seriously. What parent has ever thought, "God gave me everything I would ever need to raise these little humans. Yeah!!!" NO, no, no, no!!!!
OK. That's the pet peeve that was on my mind this morning. I my mind is already geared up for things like "dependence," and "self-reliance," and "humility," and "I want to be God." Er, I mean... Never mind.
So, I am thinking along the lines of how God gives us things we can't handle to help remind us that we are NOT the end all, be all. That we need God and that our strength is in trusting Him when we don't understand what is going on.
Then I saw this little phrase in a book by Paul Tripp. "God never calls you to a task without giving you what you need to do it. He never send you without going with you."
Now. I haven't read the book yet. It is on my list, but I have another I'm working on first. So I can't vouch for the authors intent, but I suspect I'm fine with this.
What is great about this is that I am full of myself. I mean, I am so incredibly obsessed with being a super hero and saving the day that I can't get past my egotism. Right? I mean, when I think about God giving us what we need to complete a task, I always default to how amazing God is making me... Oh come on. Don't tell me I'm alone.
Example: God gives me a difficult circumstance and it shows how great I have gotten at being patient. God brings along someone in need of help, and it shows how humble and altruistic God has made me. Right? RIGHT????
Or not. In fact, that is just a reminder that I am a egocentric, worshiper-of-myself, sinner who needs the love and grace of a God who loves me.
Instead, what this statement reminds me of is that when I remember that God has given me everything I need for a situation, it is because He is there and He is what I need for those situations.
Remembering that this doesn't take away the sting, the pain, the confusion, anger, frustration, sadness, sickness, or depression. Those parts are all still there. But, instead of emphasizing me and my greatness (which will ultimately add to my frustration when I fail) it emphasizes my dependence and His sovereignty. Not that I understand everything that God allows. Absolutely not. Many things in life that have happened to me and to people I care about, I don't understand why God let them happen. But I can continue to trust that He knows what He is doing. And that when I enter a circumstance that seems to big for me I can remember: It is. And that's OK because God is with me and it isn't too big for Him.
To God be the glory.
