More Than You Can Bear

There is a scripture that I have been misquoting for years. Actually, it isn't even the entire verse, just a portion of a verse. It goes like this, "God will never give you more than you can bear." This is not true. Let me repeat, this is NOT TRUE!!!

So, to anyone I've ever said that to, I apologize. I have a sweet, special cousin in Ohio who is more like a sister to me. I know I have said this to her. And I am sorry. I never meant to mislead you. I love you dearly and this you know.

The misquoted verse is 1 Corinthians 10:13--There hath no temptation taken you but such is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The truth is God allows, in this life, more than we can bear so that we may depend more fully upon the One Who is able to bear all that we cannot.  Sin brought sickness, death, and suffering into this world. God doesn't put suffering on us but I wondered why He allows it when we believe on Him and serve Him.

I can only come to the conclusion that God allows, in this life, more than we can bear so that we may depend more fully upon Him Who is able to bear all that we cannot.  Sin brought sickness, death, and suffering into this world. God doesn't put suffering on us, but He does allow a certain amount of it into each life. I wondered why. Our flesh is always what is being tested in our trials. It's our flesh that rebels against God. When we turn to God, trust in Him, and rely on His strength it always proves that HE IS. It also teaches us more about Him as we seek Him and draw closer to Him.

I can't help but think of Job. He never pretended he wasn't suffering. And just like the rest of us he tried to figure out why all these things were happening to him. After all, he was a righteous man. The bible even tells us that God pointed Job out to the devil. Why would He do that?

Satan assumed that Job loved and served God because God had blessed the work of his hands, increased his possessions, blessed him with children, and protected him. Satan asked the Lord, "Does Job fear God for naught (nothing or no reason). Have You not made a hedge (of protection) about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land."

I looked up the word substance, it relates to anything tangible, material, or physical. It pertains to those things that can be touched and felt. Satan wanted to remove every physical evidence of God's love, care, and provision for Job. We are God's children and he desires to do the same to us. Sometimes he does. But God has put limits on what satan can do to us. Remember, God told satan he couldn't take Job's life.

Was it more than Job could bear?  Look at his reaction in Job 1:20-He tore his clothes, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground...but then he worshipped. Most of us are more like Job's wife. In her despair and hopelessness, she wanted her husband to curse God.

We often don't respond the way Job did. Many of us don't have to be urged to "curse God and die" which was the response of Job's wife (Job 2:10). I can see where she was being used by the devil as she was in agreement with what he was trying to accomplish against her husband (Job 1:11, 2:5). Satan wanted Job to curse God to His face so he enlisted someone Job loved. He used Job's wife to goad him.

Job did not listen to his wife. In fact, in the midst of his pain, he blessed God (Job 1:21) In all he suffered, he never sinned with his lips. (Job 2:10) Hmm, how often we sin with our lips when things go wrong in our life.

Can I just be honest here? This isn't the way I intended to go with this post. God continues to bring me back to the words of our mouth. I see so much in Job that pertains to this. Our enemy wants control of our words so badly!! Everyone around Job misspoke; his wife and his friends. Those who were supposed to lift him up, encourage him, and pray for him only increased his suffering. God have mercy on us and forgive us for our horrible words toward one another.

I am writing this last part with tears. Our words are such a powerful weapon. Instead of turning it on our true enemy, we so often attack each other with them. Why does there seem to be such a desire in us to speak evil of one another? We are deceived by foolish pride into believing that if we cut someone else down then we look better and are lifted up in the eyes of others. The bible says the opposite - God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up (James 4:6, 10).

We think if someone speaks evil of us that this gives us the right to retaliate. All this goes against what the Bible tells us to do. Again I have ended up in James 3 and 4 about the mouth. Chapter 4 goes into why we war against one another. In chapter 5, James tells us in verse 9-Grudge (grumble) not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned...and verse 11 even speaks of the patience of Job. Verse 12 warns us not to swear. Verse 16 tells us to confess our faults to one another, that ye may be healed...

What? Confess my FAULTS??? You may as well tell me to walk down the street naked. YIKES!! But that is exactly what God tells us to do. It's hard to be full of pride when others know your shortcomings. But there are benefits. When we know each other's weaknesses, we know how to pray for one another. And then we are healed. I don't believe that is only physical healing, but soul healing.

So many people have deep emotional wounds, overwhelming guilt, and condemnation over past sins. God's children need to be able to trust one another with their confessions so that they can seek prayer from one another and begin to heal. Can you be trusted? Will you help someone else heal?  Examine what comes out of your mouth and you will know. I am also challenging myself here. I know my words aren't always pleasing to God. Will you pray with me today?

Father, I humbly ask You today to forgive me for every negative word I have spoken over others, whether directly or indirectly. Forgive me for sinning with my lips. Your Word says that what I loose in earth is loosed in heaven and what I bind in earth is bound in heaven. Therefore, I pray and bind every negative word that has come forth from my mouth and any that will attempt to come forth in the future. I declare crop failure on every negative seed I have planted. I yield my mouth to You as a weapon for righteousness, to loose blessings and bind curses. I pray your Holy Spirit will stop me from speaking anything contrary to your Word and that I will be a fountain that issues forth the sweet living water of Your Word. I thank You, Lord, that You have heard me and for the change that is coming as I begin to speak to mountains and loose blessing into the atmosphere....In Jesus Name. Amen.