A saying that sounds good doesn’t make it true. That is what we run into with the saying, “God will never give you more than you can handle.”
On the surface of this statement it seems poetic to think of ourselves as the heroes of our stories. We desire to fight our own battles, work our own plans, and create our own dreams. So why wouldn’t God give us the power to overcome anything that comes our way?
In reality, it is a naive idea to think that in our own power we can overcome all injustice, suffering, and pain caused by this world. Situations in life as simply too big for us to handle and control. Just look at your own life. None of us are able to handle our emotions perfectly each day or control our thoughts 100% of the time.
I believe the verse that is misunderstood and where people think that God won’t give us more than we can handle is 1 Corinthians 10:13. But even in this verse we see that God is the deliverer from sin and temptation.
“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 a way out so that you may be able to bear it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13
I spoke about this topic and our ever-present need for Jesus during a recent FB Live session.
How Does The Bible Get Taken Out Of Context?
One of the reasons people share untrue statements like, “God will never give you more than you can handle,” is simply because people are ignorant as to what the Bible teaches.
Few things are more important for a Christian than reading, studying, and applying the Bible to their everyday life. And I know that many people are struggling to read their Bibles and see what it actually says.
If you want to study the Bible on a deeper level that leads toward applying biblical truth to your life, we have created some resources to help you do just that. Our newest Bible study and prayer journal: The Gospel: An 89-Day Bible Study and Prayer Journal walks you through each chapter of the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This journal isn’t your typical devotional book. It allows you space to read, study, and apply the daily passage to your own life. Grab a copy on Amazon or here on the blog.
It is easy for us to fall into the mindset that freedom is only a freedom to do whatever we want to do. Freedom goes deeper than that it begins with a freedom from enslavement.
Freedom always starts by realizing that you are trapped by something. We can’t be freed until we realize we are in need.
When the Bible talks about freedom is it rarely talking about a freedom to do something but a freedom from the slavery of sin.
[bctt tweet=”When the Bible talks about freedom is it rarely talking about a freedom to do something but a freedom from the slavery of sin. ” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Here is a short portion from Sunday’s sermon on John 8:31-36.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Anyone who has repented and surrendered to Jesus is a new creation.
Your life is new.
Your purposes are new.
Your past is forgiven.
Your identity is new.
You are no longer bound by sin.
But do you feel like a new creation today?
If you clicked on this blog post I would assume that you don’t feel like a new creation in Jesus.
There are seasons in life where we, Jesus-following Christians, don’t feel like a new creation. Our lives feel out of control and our identity doesn’t reflect the name of Jesus. Life can flat out wear us down.
If you are struggling to feel like the new creation you are in Jesus I have two quick thoughts for you today.
Life As A New Creation In Jesus
Being a new creation in Jesus has nothing to do with your feelings and everything to do with the finished work of Jesus.
Feelings are fickle and fleeting. The stress and pace of our schedules put our emotions through the ringer. To name a few, we constantly feel tired, overwhelmed, happy, and worried – and those emotions can hit you all at once as you sit in traffic trying to start your day!
2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that the “old is gone and the new has come!” The heavy chains of sin have been broken by Jesus. We are able to fix our eyes on our Savior because of His life, death, and resurrection. If you have repented of your sins and surrendered to Jesus (moment of salvation) then “the new life have come.”
Your identity isn’t based on your feelings. Your identity isn’t based in your success. Your identify isn’t based on anything but Jesus. As a Jesus-follower, you have been made new and whether you are in seasons of rush and seasons of rest. The old you is gone. New life only comes from Jesus.
[bctt tweet=”Being a new creation in Jesus has nothing to do with your feelings and everything to do with the finished work of Jesus. ” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Being a new creation in Jesus is marked by daily surrender and pursuit of Jesus.
Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Rick Warren said in The Purpose Driven Life, “There is a moment of surrender (salvation), and there is the practice of surrender, which is moment-by-moment and life-long. The problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off the alter, so you may have to resurrender your life fifty times a day.”
Our moment of surrender – our repentance and salvation – isn’t the only surrendering we must do. Romans 12 teaches that our surrender must be daily. Jesus-followers must surrender their intentions, ambitions, plans, brokenness, schedules, and their entire being as a daily reminder that Jesus is in control and that we live a new life in Him.
Don’t misunderstand – you aren’t losing your salvation each day. Instead, you and I need to let go of our old sinful habits take hold of Jesus. Often we don’t feel like a new creation in Jesus because we are practicing the sinful habits of our past.
Living as a new creation begins with the salvific work of Jesus and continues with our daily surrender to His plans for us.
[bctt tweet=”Often we don’t feel like a new creation in Jesus because we are practicing the sinful habits of our past. ” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Now What?
Being a new creation in Jesus involves a moment of surrender and the practice of surrendering. To use church-words it involves our salvation and our sanctification. Both are works of Jesus to give us a new identity and spiritual maturity.
What areas do you need to surrender today? If you have had a moment of surrender to Jesus (salvation) then what must you daily surrender? Is it your pride, unforgiveness, worry, or perhaps it is something else.
It is hard to imagine what life would be like in the first century.
Seriously, how did student ministry thrive before Walmart and smartphones? Shoot, most regions of America have had indoor plumbing for less than 100 years!
Needless to say, the church has seen countless changes over the last 2,000 years. From church polity to buildings and programs, the local church is not a stranger of change. The mission of the church is eternal, but the methods are constantly changing to reach an ever-changing world.
With all of these changes it would be naive to think that local churches have seamlessly implemented the correct changes in their methods. Churches split. Families leave. Leaders burnout.
But why do arguments arise in the local church?
Our mission and vision have been set by Jesus.
Our foundation is set in the Word of God.
Our power and direction come from the Holy Spirit.
Anyone who has been around churches long enough know that there are rarely arguments about the foundations of our beliefs and mission.
Typically the arguments are about the methods we choose, or not choose, to live out the mission that Jesus has given His people.
When we make big things out of the small items we will never address the larger issues.
[bctt tweet=”When we make big things out of the small items we will never address the larger issues. ” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Some are more passionate about making their cause known than they are passionate about making Jesus known.
We rarely enter passionless seasons in our lives. We are passionate about something or someone. The reality is, if we aren’t passionate about Jesus we are passionate about something lesser.
Many churches and ministries do not experience spiritual growth because they are spinning their wheels on petty complaints and minor issues that redirect our passion to preserve our way of life instead of point others to the Author of life.
Did the early church struggle with complaints and minor issues? Of course. The New Testament letters address a variety of issues the local church was dealing with – from false teaching to arguing if following Apollos was better than following Paul.
Every now and again I need a reminder that the concerns I have may not be the most important concerns for our church.
The local church exists to further the Gospel, not my comfort. I need a reminder that my complaints are often foolish and 1st-world problems that typically show my lack of commitment to Jesus.
[bctt tweet=”The local church exists to further the Gospel, not my comfort. ” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Just for fun, here are a list of complaints early church members, who experienced persecution and faced death because of their beliefs, never said.
10 Things the Early Church Never Complained About
10. “The music is too loud.”
9. “I can’t believe the pastor preaches from an iPad!”
8. “I hope we can park closer to the church this week.”
7. “It’s too hot in here.”
6. “It appalls me that I would have to bring my child to service with me on the 5th Sunday.”
5. “It’s too cold in here.”
4. “Someone sat in my seat!”
3. “I wish worship would end on time.”
2. “They left my announcement out of the bulletin!”
1. “Are they really asking us to serve again?”
The book of Acts paints a picture of the JOY that came from a group that was largely persecuted.
The early church didn’t complain about the petty issues. They prayed for God to be glorified in every action. Their faith in Jesus overcame their need for control.
I pray that we will seek to further the Gospel more than secure our comfort in the local church.
I attended a Christian university for my schooling. It was a great place to learn more about the Bible and explore the deeper truths of what it meant to live out my faith as a Jesus-follower.
One realization I had early on in my college career is that Christian universities are hot spots for theological debates. Know-It-All teenagers and in-class discussions only fuel the fire for emotional debates!
Some students and professors were quick to debate about theology, the person of Jesus, the church’s impact on history, and leadership styles that work best in the non-profit world.
I’m not going to lie, I love a good debate! My inner redneck loves seeing a battle of any kind!
In class I was the instigator who would get two or more people passionate about a topic and sit back and enjoy the fireworks!
These debates were supposed to be based on what the Bible had to say about a certain topic. But inevitably, some well meaning student would be emotionally attached to his viewpoint but couldn’t figure out where, or if, his point was backed up by Scripture.
He would finally blurt out, “I just don’t think God would ____ (insert whatever argument he was making)!”
After a moment of silence the professor would kindly say, “Well, thanks for telling us what you think, but can we stick to what the Bible says?”
Even though I’m out of college, I still hear these words spoken by people inside and outside of the church.
“I don’t think God would______”
These statements are killing your theology (and witness):
“I don’t think that God would ______”
“I feel like God ________”
Why are these statements so dangerous and misleading? Simply put, our thoughts and feelings don’t measure up to the authority and power of God’s Word.
Our theology, the study and understanding of God, can get majorly skewed when we base our understanding on our emotions and opinions. Ultimately, what we believe about God shapes how we live. If our understanding is based on assumptions, opinions, or emotions, we run the risk of building our lives on a foundation of sand. We will never apply the Bible if we don’t know the Bible.
Jesus said,
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24
Why do some people default to saying, “I feel like God _____”? I believe there are two potential answers:
[bctt tweet=”Ultimately, what we believe about God shapes how we live. If our understanding is based on assumptions, opinions, or emotions, we run the risk of building our lives on a foundation of sand.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
“Um… I know that passage is somewhere in the Bible…”
First, I see that some people have the correct theological understanding, but they don’t know where that teaching is in the Bible. The Bible is alive and sharper than a double-edge sword (Hebrews 4:12). It is literally the words of God and is more powerful than our opinions or hopes. It is vitally important to “correctly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Some who are growing in their faith may understand a biblical truth but are unable to cite where it is taught in scripture. May we all continue to increase in our understanding and application of the Bible so that we build our lives on the bedrock of Jesus’ truth.
Simply Uneducated
Secondly, others are simply ignorant about what the Bible teaches. I don’t mean to use the word “ignorant” in a degrading way. Some people are uneducated as to what the Bible teaches, who Jesus is, and what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus. Phrases like, “God helps those who help themselves,” “We are all God’s children,” and “God won’t give you more than you can handle” exist because some would rather talk about what they hope the Bible teaches rather than studying what it actually says. Forming our understanding about God based on our hopes won’t get us closer to Jesus. In fact, it will lead us further away from the Truth.
(By the way, in the coming weeks I am going to post about many common phrases that aren’t actually in the Bible.)
[bctt tweet=”Forming our understanding about God based on our hopes won’t get us closer to Jesus, in fact, it will lead us further away from the Truth. ” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Now What?
I challenge you to take a look at your language this week and see if you are quick to say “I feel like God would____” or “I think that God would_____.”
These statements, and others like them, may be a sign that you need to bring some biblical truth to your conversations. Perhaps you are studying the Bible but you forget to explain that what you believe is rooted in the unchanging Word of God.
Maybe you use these phrases because you are unsure about what the Bible teaches. Do you struggle to read the Bible and apply truth to your life?
All of us have experienced this. The Bible can be difficult to begin reading if you don’t have a plan or guide to help you read, study, and apply the passage.
If you struggle reading and applying the Bible, check out these two new resources, Rooted and Redeemed.
These are 90-day Bible study and prayer journals that list three daily questions for you to answer as you read the Bible. The journals offer the same questions in different styles.
The best part is that you can download the PDF of Rooted for FREE forever.Simply subscribe to the blog with the form below. There is also a free 21-Day Bible Reading Plan to get you started with a daily discipline of studying the Bible.
If printing isn’t your thing, you can pick up a copy of Rooted and Redeemed online on Amazon.
With two preschoolers in my house, there are plenty of building projects happening each week. Our kids are building forts out of blankets and pillows, houses out of blocks, and masterpieces with crayons and stickers. Each room is it’s own mini-construction site managed by the imaginations of our kids.
As we mature our desire to build doesn’t fade away, it simply morphs into building up different areas of our lives. Middle schools begin to build friendships, high schoolers build dating relationships, college students begin building their careers, and young adults begin building their families. Add in building up our bank accounts, reputations, marketability, and personal disciplines and you can see why people start noticing grey hair in their thirties!
Everyone is building something.Our human nature craves creating, building, working, and producing. Whether with our relationships, jobs, families, or hobbies, we wake up knowing that our daily to-do list awaits.
This desire to create and build is a God-given attribute. Creating sets humanity apart from the rest of God’s creation and it reflects the nature of God in us.
In Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus closes out the Sermon on the Mount – one of the greatest teaching sessions of His ministry – by saying these words:
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” – Matthew 7:24-27
Jesus give this beautiful description of what it means to wisely build one’s life. Wise builders are those who understand Jesus’ teachings AND apply them to their daily lives.
Building your life, job, family, or relationship without an understanding and practice God’s Word leads to a shaky foundation – and potentially a crash – when hard times hit.
[bctt tweet=”Building your life, job, family, or relationship without an understanding and practice God’s Word leads to a shaky foundation – and potentially a crash – when hard times hit.” username=”chasesnyder12″]
Have you seen this play out in your life before? Has their been an area of life where you failed to seek out Jesus and it ultimately led to the inevitable crash of what you were building? We see this all the time in relationships and careers don’t we?
Now What?
There is no way for me to know what aspects of life you are focusing on this week, but my question for you is simple. Are you spending time reading, hearing, understanding, and practicing God’s Word? If so, you are operating as a wise builder. If not, the foundation of what you are building may not be as strong as you think it is.
If you are struggling to read and apply God’s Word then you should check out the brand new resources we launched – Redeemed and Rooted.
These are two Bible study and prayer journals that will lead you through three simple questions that help you unpack the meaning of the biblical passage you are reading that day.
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