“If God closes a door” and Other Cliches that should be Retired:
I think, maybe, we cling to this cliche because we desperately want it to be true. This world is chaotic. It’s hard. It’s full of hate, disappointment, betrayal, abandonment, tragedy, bigotry, and violence. We see it everyday, sometimes at home, sometimes next door, and sometimes afar. But, it’s there, and it’s constant. So, there’s that part of us that just wants to believe that if, just maybe if, God won’t give us more than we can handle, we can cling to a little bit of hope; we can survive.
But God doesn’t promise that.
In fact, the bible, history, and the world today is full of people who were given more than they could handle:
Noah.
More than he could handle.
Abraham
More than he could handle.
Jacob.
He promises to restore us and make us strong.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)
He promises to help us.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
He promises to make us well.
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:13–16)
He promises us life.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
I have had many moments in the last few months where I have crumbled and believed that this is more than I can handle.
Because it is.
And, if you are in the middle of your “more than I can handle,” then I’m sure you have had those moments as well. And, while I know I’m not strong enough to handle this, and you know you’re not strong enough to handle this, we have to cling to the hope that God gives us in these promises. We have to believe that, just like Abraham and David and Mary and Ruth and Moses, God will guide us through the wilderness, through this land in between, through this “more than I can handle,” and He will fulfill his promises to give us help, strength, comfort, restoration, and life.
Until next time...
I grew up on Christian cliches. They were plastered on posters in my Sunday School rooms, tossed around freely at church camp, and generally spouted every time the church doors were open.
“God will never give you more than you can handle.”
“If he leads you to it, he’ll lead you through it.”
“When God closes a door, he opens a window.”
“Let go and let God.”
“God helps those who helps themselves.”
“If it’s God’s will…”
“Jesus, take the wheel.”
Okay, that last one might be a country song and not a Christian cliche, but it fits, right?!
I’d love to take apart each one of these cliches, and maybe someday I’ll do a series on them, but today, today I just want to think about one of them. The first one. The biggest offender.
“God will never give you more than you can handle.”
“If he leads you to it, he’ll lead you through it.”
“When God closes a door, he opens a window.”
“Let go and let God.”
“God helps those who helps themselves.”
“If it’s God’s will…”
“Jesus, take the wheel.”
Okay, that last one might be a country song and not a Christian cliche, but it fits, right?!
I’d love to take apart each one of these cliches, and maybe someday I’ll do a series on them, but today, today I just want to think about one of them. The first one. The biggest offender.
“God will never give you more than you can handle.”
False.
Not true.
Bold-faced lie.
“God will never give you more than you can handle,” but...
I’m not entirely sure where this cliche originated, but I think it is from taking I Corinthians 10:13 completely out of context. What I Corinthians 10:13 really says is: “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.” Paul is talking about temptation here. He does say that God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. And he does say that God will provide you a way out of the temptation. What Paul doesn’t say is that God will not give you more than you can handle.
And Paul should know. After all, he was beaten, persecuted, and jailed. He was a bit of an expert on the idea of being faced with situations that were more than he could handle.
False.
Not true.
Bold-faced lie.
“God will never give you more than you can handle,” but...
I’m not entirely sure where this cliche originated, but I think it is from taking I Corinthians 10:13 completely out of context. What I Corinthians 10:13 really says is: “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.” Paul is talking about temptation here. He does say that God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. And he does say that God will provide you a way out of the temptation. What Paul doesn’t say is that God will not give you more than you can handle.
And Paul should know. After all, he was beaten, persecuted, and jailed. He was a bit of an expert on the idea of being faced with situations that were more than he could handle.
I think, maybe, we cling to this cliche because we desperately want it to be true. This world is chaotic. It’s hard. It’s full of hate, disappointment, betrayal, abandonment, tragedy, bigotry, and violence. We see it everyday, sometimes at home, sometimes next door, and sometimes afar. But, it’s there, and it’s constant. So, there’s that part of us that just wants to believe that if, just maybe if, God won’t give us more than we can handle, we can cling to a little bit of hope; we can survive.
But God doesn’t promise that.
In fact, the bible, history, and the world today is full of people who were given more than they could handle:
Noah.
More than he could handle.
Abraham
More than he could handle.
Jacob.
More than he could handle.
Moses.
Moses.
More than he could handle.
David.
David.
More than he could handle.
Daniel.
More than he could handle.
Esther.
More than she could handle.
Ruth.
More than she could handle.
Mary.
More than she could handle.
Peter.
More than he could handle.
Jonah.
More than he could handle.
The bible is chalk full of people whose stories are full of more than they could possibly handle. Way more than they could possibly handle. For some of them, their situations seemed impossible. The lions’ den isn’t exactly a warm and welcoming environment, nor is the belly of a giant fish. The Red Sea typically doesn’t just open up so your people can complete their exodus across it. A slingshot isn’t typically the weapon of choice for the slaying of a giant. These were all impossible situations that had to have felt like more than they could handle.
Or what about situations that had to have just felt hopeless. Being a pregnant, unwed teenager in bible days wasn’t exactly a recipe for success. Being asked to sacrifice your only son had to feel like more than anyone could handle. Being told to build a giant ark when it had never even rained before had to seem a bit crazy and like a larger task than anyone could accomplish.
And the examples didn’t stop when the bible was published! I have watched as people I love have gone through their own “more than I can handle” stories:
I watched my parents go through a terrible motorcycle accident and years of recovery.
I watched my childhood best friend go through a terrible divorce that left her pregnant and alone.
I watched my friends go through the death of their baby.
I watched my cousins go through the birth of a stillborn baby.
And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t smack dab in the middle of my “more than I can handle.” I wish, I wish more than anything that this Christian cliche was true. I wish my family, friends, and loved ones didn’t have to wade through their “more than I can handle.” I wish I didn’t have to wade through this “more than I can handle.” But, the reality is, that cliche is just that: a cliche.
Finding Hope in your “More than I can Handle”
Thinking about these stories this way could really leave you feeling pretty hopeless. But, the thing that gets me about all of these people is that their stories aren’t hopeless at all. They had to feel hopeless while they were in the middle of their “more than I can handle,” but that isn’t where their stories ended.
No, their “more than I can handle” stories are each stories of hope.
Their stories are stories of provision, protection, and redemption.
And, I believe that’s what God wants our “more than I can handle” stories to be as well.
Daniel.
More than he could handle.
Esther.
More than she could handle.
Ruth.
More than she could handle.
Mary.
More than she could handle.
Peter.
More than he could handle.
Jonah.
More than he could handle.
The bible is chalk full of people whose stories are full of more than they could possibly handle. Way more than they could possibly handle. For some of them, their situations seemed impossible. The lions’ den isn’t exactly a warm and welcoming environment, nor is the belly of a giant fish. The Red Sea typically doesn’t just open up so your people can complete their exodus across it. A slingshot isn’t typically the weapon of choice for the slaying of a giant. These were all impossible situations that had to have felt like more than they could handle.
Or what about situations that had to have just felt hopeless. Being a pregnant, unwed teenager in bible days wasn’t exactly a recipe for success. Being asked to sacrifice your only son had to feel like more than anyone could handle. Being told to build a giant ark when it had never even rained before had to seem a bit crazy and like a larger task than anyone could accomplish.
And the examples didn’t stop when the bible was published! I have watched as people I love have gone through their own “more than I can handle” stories:
I watched my parents go through a terrible motorcycle accident and years of recovery.
I watched my childhood best friend go through a terrible divorce that left her pregnant and alone.
I watched my friends go through the death of their baby.
I watched my cousins go through the birth of a stillborn baby.
And I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t smack dab in the middle of my “more than I can handle.” I wish, I wish more than anything that this Christian cliche was true. I wish my family, friends, and loved ones didn’t have to wade through their “more than I can handle.” I wish I didn’t have to wade through this “more than I can handle.” But, the reality is, that cliche is just that: a cliche.
Finding Hope in your “More than I can Handle”
Thinking about these stories this way could really leave you feeling pretty hopeless. But, the thing that gets me about all of these people is that their stories aren’t hopeless at all. They had to feel hopeless while they were in the middle of their “more than I can handle,” but that isn’t where their stories ended.
No, their “more than I can handle” stories are each stories of hope.
Their stories are stories of provision, protection, and redemption.
And, I believe that’s what God wants our “more than I can handle” stories to be as well.
God doesn’t promise not to give us more than we can handle, but he does make us some other pretty amazing promises that give us hope while we are in the middle of our “more than I can handle.”
He promises to comfort us.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3–4)
He promises to bless us.
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him. Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD. (Psalm 40:1–4)'
He promises to comfort us.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3–4)
He promises to bless us.
I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him. Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD. (Psalm 40:1–4)'
He promises to restore us and make us strong.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10)
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)
He promises to help us.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
He promises to make us well.
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:13–16)
He promises us life.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)
I have had many moments in the last few months where I have crumbled and believed that this is more than I can handle.
Because it is.
And, if you are in the middle of your “more than I can handle,” then I’m sure you have had those moments as well. And, while I know I’m not strong enough to handle this, and you know you’re not strong enough to handle this, we have to cling to the hope that God gives us in these promises. We have to believe that, just like Abraham and David and Mary and Ruth and Moses, God will guide us through the wilderness, through this land in between, through this “more than I can handle,” and He will fulfill his promises to give us help, strength, comfort, restoration, and life.
Until next time...
Girl, you spoke the whole truth. If we could handle it, why would we need God. There is nothing impossible with God. He promises when we walk through bodies of water we will not drown and through fiery situations we will not be burned. He never promised we would not go through the "too much to handle" times.
ReplyDeleteThis was refreshing truth! I struggle so hard with not losing it on this feel good Christianity movement. Yes, we have a God who loves us and cares for us, but it's in an eternal sense. There is no promise of comfort, healing or escape from trials in this world. Some get those things, others don't. But all of those will be given in Heaven. And in the meantime, like you said, we have hope. We can cling to our Savior (who can handle it) and the promise we have to one day be with Him. Thank you for being honest and spreading truth! :) Visiting from TrekkingThru Link Up.
ReplyDeleteI agree. God often gives us more than we can handle.... precisely so we will turn to HIM... who by the way, handles all things perfectly. thanks for your post.
ReplyDeleteWhew! You really nailed it. When I found out that there were no verses saying that God would not give us more than we could handle, I was blown away. But He can handle all of it. So sometimes I just have to sit back and watch Him work because sitting, or laying, or crying is about as much energy as I can contirbute.
ReplyDeleteWow! This post was amazing! You are so right, God never promised that He would not give us more than we could handle. He promised that whatever we went through He would be right there with us. Praise God! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSo true! That cliche has always bothered me, as well. I think whoever came up with it meant that it's not too much to handle because God's power in us will get us through to the other side ... but that meaning has been lost over time. There is so much in this life I wouldn't have made it through without God's power ... and God's promises ♥
ReplyDeleteLove this post and love that you joined me in sharing hope at #MomentsofHope!
Blessings,
Lori