Earlier this week during my morning devotional time, I read the story of Job. If you're unfamiliar with his story, he loses everything he owns, his entire family and people that he loves, and his health. Through it all though, he never curses God. The man endured the worst imaginable things and never once blamed God or walked away from his faith.
This came on the heels of talking with a friend about the commonly misinterpreted notion that God won't give us more than we can handle. This is untrue. The verse that people often refer to (I Corinthians 10:13) doesn't state that God won't give us more than we can handle, but instead it says He won't allow us to be tempted to sin beyond what we can withstand. He will always give us a way out of the tempting situation without the only option being sin. The idea that He won't give us more than we can handle is a inaccurate and unbiblical. Our lives are routinely filled with more than we can handle. Look at Job! As Christians, we are supposed to rely on His strength in impossible situations, not our own. II Corinthians 12:9
Anyway, after reading about Job's horrible misfortune, I thought, "man, I'm glad I'm not Job. It had to be really tough to go through so much and not shake a fist at God." Then, my week promptly fell apart. I won't go into detail, but we have had major financial distress, health issues, and an overwhelming and seemingly impossible situation that I have no choice but to keep fighting an uphill, losing battle. Not to mention a heartbreaking election result. I haven't lost any family members (thank God), but I am smack dab in the middle of a Job situation. And I'm not handling it very well.
I am living proof that God will allow you to endure more than you can handle. The things on my plate this week are more than I can deal with. Seriously. I haven't cursed God, but I have ugly cried everyday. I have considered making some drastic changes. I have been hopeless. Just for a minute though because my God is way bigger than any of this mess. I try to be joyful and "count every trial as blessing" (James 1:2-4), but I'm not great at it. Maybe that's the point of all this: I need a little refining in the patience and long-suffering departments.
Today though? Today, I have a sad face. Will you pray for me?
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I have often thought about that very saying, and had issue with it. It's not about what we can handle or overcome anyway. God won't give us more than He can handle, and I think that's the difference in mindset. When I'm faced with trial, I try not to think about how I'm going to get through, but I starting praising Him for my place in Christ, because I know He has perfected all that concerns me.
ReplyDeleteSaying a prayer for you.
Hey Aly! I have followed your blog for awhile but don't comment much. I wanted to let you know that I am praying for you, I am praying that God gives you strength to get through this as well as peace knowing that He is in control. Take care, this too shall pass!! Xoxo!!
ReplyDeletePraying for you and your family. God will let you bend, but He won't let you break. (don't give me credit for that quote- it's one of my favorite songs.) I will put in a prayer request card at WOC tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteLove you sweet friend! Praying for things to get much, much better for you really SOON!!!! xoxo (ps. sorry you have been sad. that makes me sad. )
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