Series: Oh, the Things We Say: More Than I Can Handle - Martin Wiles

And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

My arms were full, and I didn’t know whether or not I could make it to the car. I had more than I could handle.

At the age of fourteen, I began my first real job: bagging groceries at the local grocery store. Although I had helped my grandfather on the ice cream truck for several years, this job introduced me to the real world of work. 

In addition to bagging the groceries, we bagboys carried them to the customer’s car. Most customers bought enough groceries that we needed a buggy to transport them, but occasionally a customer would have only a couple of bags. Trying to impress them and whoever else, I attempted to carry them. 

Today, that wouldn’t be an issue. Bags are plastic and have handles. Then it was. The bags were made of paper and had no handles. A shifting of the contents in the bags might mean spilled and damaged groceries.

I’ve heard numerous believers say, “God won’t put any more on us than we can handle.” A statement commonly spoken when someone is going through a difficult period or even a series of unfavorable circumstances. It’s another one of those statements we’ve formulated to comfort and encourage. And perhaps it does, but the problem is, we can’t support it biblically.

I don’t know where the saying originated, but it may be based in part on Paul’s statement that God won’t allow Satan to tempt us to the point that we must give in. However, difficult circumstances and temptations are not necessarily the same.

In reality, God will put more on us than we can stand. And he has a reason. We often think we can handle life on our own. Just as I thought I could handle the grocery bags. Trying to maneuver through life without help from anyone else—particularly God--is foolishness. When God allows more into our lives than we can handle, we are forced to turn to him, which is what we should do in the first place.

God wants to be our burden bearer. He will give wisdom and courage for every situation we face.

Let God give you the strength to face each life situation.

Father, I thank you that I can depend on you to guide me through every circumstance of life. 

I invite you to try my book A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapes in a Noisy World. No one escapes life's hurts, but quiet places help us regain our perspective. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.