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Michael Tinsley
Supporter
1 Cor 10:13 says God won't allow us to be tempted to _sin beyond what we can bear. He doesn't promise not to _burden us more than we can handle. Even Paul wrote in 2 Cor 1:8 '...we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life.' But then he writes in 2 Cor 1:9 that they had the sentence of death within themselves so that they would not trust in themselves but in God who raises the dead. God sometimes burdens us _more than we can bear to teach us to have total trust in Him and realize we can't handle life on our own. Many people get into spiritual trouble or despair because someone taught them God won't overburden them and when He allows it they think think don't have ''enough' faith (as if you can somehow have more or less faith rather than all you'll ever need) or 'secret' sin that disqualifies them and ultimately causes them to despair even more. That is legalism and has no place in Jesus' new covenant of grace. God will carry us through everything life hands us, even unto death, because He is in control and loves us more than we can ever imagine. And, we are promised resurrection and eternal life afterwards. This time of ours' on Earth is merely the blink of an eye compared to the eternal love and riches which await us in Heaven.
S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
First Corinthians 10:13 says, "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 tempt...
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Bob Johnson
Supporter
God is in control. Whatever situation you are in, He controls. I invite you to find the book "The Serpent of Paradise". Even Satan is in gods control. So if you are in a situation that you never think you'll get through, well, I know from experience that you will. My wife thought she would never be able to deal with her cancer. And she died. But see Isaiah 57:1-2. Even in death God provides. I know this is more of a personal than Biblical answer, but it's what I've experienced. "In this world you WILL have tribulation" is what is promised. We just need to overcome, with His help.
EL Mohel Castorena
Supporter
Rom 8:28 And we know that ALL things work together for GOOD to Them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. So even if something bad happens to us He will work it for good.
Jim Stevens
Supporter
There is a difference between the trials we face in life and the temptations to sin. Romans 13:8-14 gives Christians specific instructions and concludes with "Instead, clothe yourselves with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. James chapter 1 addresses both trials and temptations. Verses 2-4 tell us that trials are an opportunity for great joy because if we meet trials with faith, endurance and maturity will be the result in our lives. Romans 5:3-5 has the same thought and Ro 8:28 has been mentioned by someone previously, assuring us that God causes all things to work together for our good. James 1:12-18 tells us where our temptation to sin comes from- "our own desires, which entice us and drag us away." Another bible translation renders verse 15 vividly "When lust has conceived it gives birth to sin...". Tying this verse with Ro 13:14 addresses the question and teaches me a sobering axiom. If we "make provision for our fleshly lusts, those lusts "conceive" which then must "give birth to sin". We simply cannot flirt with sin and expect God to bail us out at the last minute, then blame Him for "allowing us to be tempted beyond our ability...". Thank God for His promise in 1 Jo 2:1-2 that when we do sin, we have "an advocate who pleads our case before the Father.... and He is the propitiation (the full payment and remedy) for our sins - and not for only our sins but the sins of all the world."
Janet Austin
Supporter
Yes, God does give us more than we can handle. Read 1 Kings 19:1-18. Notice what happened after Elijah awakened (v 6-7). He found baked bread & water. He consumed what he needed & then slept again, only to have the angel re-awaken him with a surprising message. “Get up & eat, for the journey is too much for you.” “TOO MUCH FOR YOU” …those words caught me off guard. I’ve heard many a well-meaning Christian try to comfort others by saying, “Don’t worry, God won’t give you more than you can handle.” Others reference partial verses like Romans 8:37 (In all things we are more than conquerors…) or the first half of 1 Corinthians 10:13 (He [God] will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear) while ignoring the last portion of that verse. But if God does not give us more than we can handle, how could Elijah’s journey have been too much for him? As I re-read 1 Kings 19, it suddenly struck me that God’s directive for Elijah WOULD have been too much for him IF GOD HAD NOT PROVIDED, through an angel & God’s protection, what Elijah needed. The truth is that God DOES give us more than we can handle, & HE is the One who provides a way out for us! God was working mightily to STRENGTHEN & TEACH Elijah. He did this in order to DEVELOP Elijah’s FAITH in God & to ENLARGE his TRUST in God’s never-failing goodness & grace. God is our ever-present help in times of trouble. Continue reading the story. It gets worse before it gets better, but it’s all the more wonderfully revealing about how God works. Once Elijah was awakened from his 2nd sleep, he ate & drank again, & then traveled 40 days & 40 nights. A long journey! Next, (v 9-14) he heard the word of the LORD telling him to go out & stand on the mountain so that he would again be instructed by God. HUH? Why didn’t the Lord just tell Elijah everything he wanted to know instead of having Elijah move again to a higher location? Was God hoping that Elijah would believe without a doubt that he was hearing God speak? I think so…& that is why I love this story. This story models how God often leads us. Think for a minute about your life: Was there ever a time when you found yourself in an awful predicament, so upset that you wanted to run away or just die? I know I have. And when I was in similar situations, that was when the mighty hand of God moved me, just like He moved Elijah. Where did He move me? Closer to Him (aka a higher place; a mountain top). And what did God do as He was moving me? He provided for me…provision & direction while the nightmares of my life ensued! Why? To prove that HE COULD and HE WOULD take care of me! Yes, the tough situations were too much for me ALONE, but they were not too much for God & me together. Like Elijah, I had things to learn & my faith had to be strengthened. God allowed Elijah to feel that the journey was too much for him (too much for Elijah ALONE), but it was not too much for Elijah & God TOGETHER! God provided rest, food, & water for Elijah. God did that twice in this story; it must be significant! Then in verse 11, God directed Elijah to get closer to Him by telling Elijah to “stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD for the LORD is about to pass by.” Even while God is moving Elijah closer to Himself, does Elijah hear God’s full set of directions immediately? No, God directed Elijah little by little. That reminds me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:11: “Give us TODAY our DAILY bread” (emphasis mine). God provides for us day by day. And God’s voice was not in the wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire. Where was it? It was in a still small voice (KJV). (NOTE: NIV says “a gentle whisper.”) I love that! God spoke to Elijah through an angel, then He gave Elijah partial information through the word of the LORD, & then finally when Elijah was ready, God told Elijah exactly what he needed to know to move forward with his life, all the time providing for Elijah. Magnificent! God’s still small voice; God’s perfect timing; God’s provision!
Brandon Hughes
Supporter
If I can handle every temptation that comes my way why do I need God? Why do I need a savior if by my own will power I can resist all temptation and never fall into sin?
Rhonda Mcpherson
Supporter
It may seem you will never get through it but God will help you get through it. Thats what that means.
James Townsend
Supporter
While this topic is good understanding we should also know about these principles. Yes God tempts no one. Yes there is iniquity and there is also sin. Yes all have sinned and fallen short. Yes one can stumble through vain iniquity induced by another, but God is faithful and just, and does not want any to fall short. Yet life is a struggle, but with God all things are possible. We all make choices or decisions and can be led away, but Jesus Christ is the good shepherd. And yes with grace and faith in him and our trust, we are more than conquerors.
Joe cattani
Supporter
King Solomon said that all things under the sun are common. Whatever you are going through, millions have already been through it. So what is this "thing” that God has promised to shield us from? Death of a child? No, millions already have been through it. Death of a parent or spouse? Don't think so, pretty common. I believe the one thing that a believer in Jesus Christ will never experience is "hopelessness ". It's a killer of men. It's what causes a man to put a gun to his head and pull the trigger. It's Satan's number one tool to separate you from God. A believer in Jesus Christ will never experience hopelessness. It's just too much to bear.
Mark Vestal
Supporter
The trials and tribulations we face today are NOT a direct "test" of God. Our issues and challenges are rather a result of living under the curse that was placed on this "present evil world" (Gal 1:4) that is currently under the rule of Satan (2 Cor 4:4). We are not promised to be physically (carnally) protected from anything that Satan, or our own sinful desires of the flesh, might place before us. We are, however, promised eternal spiritual protection through having faith alone in Christ alone. God loves us so much that He gave us Jesus Christ as our means of escape from the clutches of Satan and the relentless barrage of pain that we face while living. 2 Cor 1:3-6 "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation." God is the "Comforter". He is NOT the tempter or 'tester'.
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