Sylvia: In Him

Have you ever heard the expression, "God doesn't give you more than you can handle"? Well, I would like to know where that expression came from. It's not in the Bible, I can tell you that. Just recently that phrase was mentioned to me at different times by a couple of women who clearly had more than they could handle on their plates. They were believers so I was quick to add to their brave yet misguided statement, "IN HIM. God does not give you more than you can handle IN HIM."

I have come to realize that God invites and challenges us to lean on Him through the tough stuff that He allows in our lives. I have a few things on my own plate that I know I could not handle without the grace and wisdom and patience of my Lord because they are long term challenges. I am by nature a bullet biter. You know, one who gets in a jam and bites the bullet until it passes. Spiritually, it is a very unhealthy trait because it shows self-dependence and self-reliance instead of God-dependence and God-reliance. Victory over the difficulties that overwhelm us in our lives can only come by dependence and reliance on God.

Take for example the story of Gideon from Judges 6: Gideon's clan was the weakest of the tribe of Manasseh and he was the least in his father's house, meaning he had no authority, yet God called him to subdue the Midianites who had oppressed Israel for seven years. When they would come to raid Israel's crops, the Midianites were said to have been as numerous as the locust and without number, but God used an unknown man with no authority and gave him victory over them with just 300 men at his disposal. I would say that God had given Gideon a whole lot more than he could handle on his own and I'm convinced it is no different in our own circumstances and situations.

Consider Job, Joshua and the walls of Jericho, David and Goliath, Hezekiah and Sennacherib, and even Jeremiah who became so discouraged that he tried to quit! Consider the apostle Paul who was beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned and even stoned and left for dead. All were given more than they could handle, apart from their faith in God, as a testimony to us who would also struggle and have difficulties in our lives.

So when confronted with something that is more than you can handle in your life remember this: Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yolk upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yolk is easy and My burden is light."

IN HIM ladies. Never forget, IN HIM.

God bless you!