Misconceptions – Part 1

July 11, 2011

I’d like to share something that’s been on my heart. Please be assured that this is NOT targeted at any one person. This is just a commentary on things I hear day after day after day, that are wearing on my soul. This post is for me, it is not for you. I know that people’s comments, whether in real life, on facebook, blog comments, or email are meant to encourage. I really do. I am trying to look at the intent of people’s comments versus the content, but after enduring this now for a couple of months, I feel I need to address two common misconceptions I hear when people find out about our pregnancy situation. This post will be a two-parter – this is the first part. I am certainly not a theologian, so take this as my junior interpretation of what is probably the most controversial book in history.

I often receive comments from people (and I’m not just talking blog comments here) that “God will not give you more than you can handle.”   Honestly, I don't find this helpful… or even beyond that it isn’t even TRUE!

I personally didn’t think I’d ever read that in the Bible. So… I visited my trusty friend, Google, and looked it up. What I found was that this is one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible. The actual verse that people are thinking of is this:

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
I Corinthians 10:13

Nope… not the same meaning! I had often thought that maybe the opposite was true – that we are purposefully given more than we can handle, so we can both grow and turn to God. Thanks to this great blog article, I found this like-minded thinker, and this verse:

“For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”
2 Corinthians 1:8-9

So… God might give us more than we can handle.

From a place of deep honesty, right now, God has given me WAY more than I, Sarah, can handle. I admit it. I am powerless, I am weak. I’m on the verge of a break down every day. I can’t even begin to think a month into the future, because I break down! I can’t begin to imagine how I will endure if this baby dies, and also if this baby lives. In all reality, it appears that we are going to be put through a ringer of hospital stays and surgeries in the coming year, maybe even YEARS. I have a full time job, I have bills to pay, and I have a 3 year old that needs me too. I can’t handle this… it is too much for me to bear. But every day I make it through somehow. Every day, I know that hundreds of people are lifting me and my family up in prayer. Many of you I don’t even know, but know this – some days it is those prayers that are the ONLY things that I know must be carrying me, because I certainly am NOT carrying myself.

So…God gives us way more than we can handle sometimes, but he is faithful to carry us through. That is a truth I believe.

You Might Also Like

7 comments

  1. LOVE THIS POST! Is it ok with you if I share it on my Facebook page? Know that I am praying for you and your soon to be expanding family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. amen! I completely agree with you on this one! You are doing great. As great as anyone put in this situation would be doing. You are taking it one week, one day, and sometimes if needed, one hour at a time and with God's help, you are making it. And you WILL make it. God does not promise us comfort and that's really been on my mind lately. It's usually in our discomfort that he draws us to Himself. He has a plan in all this that is much, much bigger than you or I can even imagine. His plan for this sweet little girl is already unfolding and we may not see it to completion until much later on. Until then, we pray. Praying for you today.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well said!

    Someone I don't know well said that same thing to me the other day (my husband is in treatment for cancer) and I thought, "No, that's actually wrong."

    My saving has come through the grace of God shown by other people...often in small ways I couldn't have expected. I *can't* handle this. But I'm not alone with it. That is what keeps me going.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've probably mentioned this before, but a friend of mine told me this after her husband was killed in a car accident and she was told that her infant son would never walk, talk or show emotion ... God doesn't give us more than HE can handle. I like that because there's really very little that I can handle!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is such raw honesty. This post touched me so much. I hope everything works out for you and your family. You are such an amazing inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Kari - I sent you an email, but absolutely you can post a link.

    Jessica... love it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I agree, but I also agree that God won't give you more than HE can't handle. And he can handle a lot.

    Much love friend.

    ReplyDelete

I LOVE hearing your thoughts and feedback. Please leave me a comment

Instagram