God Will Never Give You More Than You Can Handle

There is a high chance that this is not the first time you’ll come across this statement, God will never give you more than you can handle, and you’ll come to discover that it’s a misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 10:13.

It is not biblical considering that you’d find it nowhere in the Bible, but the idea is for it to serve as a balm of encouragement to believers going through trying times, knowing that God is faithful to see them through to victory.

We cannot attribute this statement to one particular author and being a misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 10:13, it has spread around like wildfire on the lips of the multitudes in the Christian community.

In Apostle Paul’s epistle to the church in Corinth, see below what chapter 1 and verse 13 say:

“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” (NIV – New International Version).

The term “temptation” refers to the various troubles and challenges that Christians encounter in their lives. So, this might prompt you to ask the next question.

Does God Give You More Than You Can Handle?

Before getting right to answering the question above, let’s consider these statements:

“God will never give you more than you can handle”.

“God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear”.

Bear in mind that someone coined the first statement from what Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:13. There’s a clear difference between the two statements and regarding this, we must know that God is not a giver of trouble and suffering in this world.

So, to the question of whether God gives us more than we can handle, the answer is NO.

God won’t give you more than you can handle in the actual sense of the statement, and what’s more, He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. He is the source of comfort and the pillar of strength that we can always depend on during trials and tribulations.

He is faithful to show you mercy and provide a way out for you during the dark moments of your life. God’s assurance is that He will equip you whenever you are facing those trials so that you will be able to bear them.

Life started to offer diverse tribulations as a result of sin – pain, sickness, brutality, trials, heartache, and of course, death, after the fall of Adam. This has made everything veer off the course of God and thrown us into a sinful world.

So, to be delivered from the Evil One whose temptations are responsible for much of the world’s suffering, we are still told to pray (Matthew 6:13).

God is a giver of life and peace. Moving to the next…

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When God Tests You

Here comes the hard thing, Test.

God gives you tests to try your faith. You and I know that they can be very hard, and challenging but God did not mean to do us evil. Testing of faith should not surprise you as a believer, it should be an expectation. An expectation to get into a more intimate relationship with God.

Just like the way God tested Abraham, it was a difficult trial that might look weird to you. If you were Abraham, you sure might gather a lot of questions to ask God and end up contemplating. That doesn’t change the fact that God tests us and will continue to.

Remember James said in the Bible that you should count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds as they produce steadfastness (James 1:2-4). God tests you to make you steadfast in faith. It is God’s way of fostering your spiritual growth and maturity.

He tests you to help you develop character and virtues such as patience, endurance, faith, etc. God tests you to prepare you for future challenges so that when you have similar situations, you will be able to handle them and fulfill God’s purpose.

It can also lead you to depend totally on God’s strength more than yours, and this finally allows you to have a deepening relationship with Him. Even Apostle Paul admitted that trials make you rely on God which is one of the reasons God tests you.

“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death” but “This happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

And when Apostle Paul was with the elders and leaving the church in Ephesus, he said another thing:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews” (Acts 20:18-19).

This is a confirmation that God is for you and not against you.

How Can I Know God Is Testing Me?

You may want to ask if all the struggles and difficulties you are experiencing could be a sign of God testing you. Could a repeated pattern where you’ve been lacking be a test from God? Yes, it could be. Since the tests of God are meant to make us grow and get closer to Him.

These tests can be demanding and recognizing if God is testing you can be challenging, but here is how to go about it. It often requires discernment and reflection.

Consider if the trial corresponds with your values and beliefs, and ask yourself questions if those tests are intentionally pushing you to be the best version of yourself. Then you can begin to seek the face of God through meditating on the word of God, praying, and seeking counsel from brethren.

This will be a guide for you to pass the tests of God, build a solid relationship with Him in the trying times, and obey every one of His words.

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When you put your trust in God, He will help you when you are being tempted. He will empower you to overcome difficult times and give you peace. And even when He tests you, He is building you to become what He wants you to be.

So, whether it is not biblical, or a misinterpretation of 1 Corinthians 10:13, it is worth stating that God knows who you are and what you’re capable of doing and withstanding. As such, you can always encourage yourself with the thought that God is with you, God is for you, and God will never give you more than you can handle.