Do you remember watching Snow White as a child? I think the most notable line in the movie is, “Mirror, Mirror, on the wall. Who’s the fairest of them all?” Would it surprise you to know that isn’t actually what the Queen says? As she gazes at the glass she demands an answer to this question: “Magic Mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?”
There’s an often-quoted line in Field of Dreams that goes like this, “If you build it, they will come.” The actual line is, “If you build it, he will come.” It’s just off by one simple word but completely changes the emphasis of the statement.
Now what about the verse, “God won’t give us more than we can handle.” Oooo, now I’m messing with scripture, right?
We’ve heard that saying a thousand times and probably spoke it to others as some twisted form of comforting cliché. Would you believe that verse is nowhere in the bible?
I’m not sure where the idea that God won’t give us more than we can handle got started. It’s an overused tidbit, taken as theology, that is never found in the bible.
As a matter of fact, I often run across quite the opposite in Scripture. It’s during the hardest times that we learn to rely on Him and find that His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.
Maybe it’s this verse that confuses people……
“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.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
This verse is about temptation, not life’s problems. It’s regarding being tempted to sin, not facing the doctor as he labels you with a life-threatening disease, or hearing that your child has been paralyzed in an auto accident, or that your spouse no longer wants to be married, or that you’re losing your home.
I believe this myth is very harmful and, actually, a self-centered way of thinking. It takes the focus off God and puts it on ourselves as the source of strength.
God won't give you more than you can handle is a MYTH! #chronicillness #invisibleillness5 Ways I Believe This Myth Is Harmful
- By believing God won’t give us more than we can handle, we are totally eliminating our need for Him. When we say we can handle anything God allows to come our way, we’re actually saying we can handle it all on our own. If we can handle everything we’re going to experience, why do we need an omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God?
- It’s actually an insult to the one who’s receiving the “words of wisdom”. When we struggle, feel defeated, or get depressed and someone throws this line at us, what we actually hear is, “Don’t be so weak.” It can even make them feel ashamed or apologetic if they feel they need to ask for prayer concerning a certain matter.
- It goes against some of the greatest examples in the bible. If you read the Psalms, they are full of David’s pleas, weeping, and sorrow. Do they sound like they were written by someone who’s handling life events with exuberance and inner strength? Paul says he boasts about his weakness, not so that you can see how strong of a person he is and how much he can handle, but rather so that we can see that it’s only through God’s power that he’s able to endure.
- It comes off sounding like God is using the circumstance to test us. While I do believe God uses circumstances to test us, I don’t believe everything is sent by Him as a test. Rather, everything is a place where we can encounter Him.
- It contradicts many verses in the bible. There are countless verses I could reference, but here are three that come immediately to mind.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalms 34:18
“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.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
