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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Food For Thought


I had an opportunity to attend a Nancy Guthrie seminar a couple of weekends ago. Lots of good stuff to go over and review later but there was one thing she had said that has really made me stop and pause.

The question that has made me think was this..."Do you ever say, God will never give us more than we can bear? either to yourself or to someone else as an encouraging word. " I have to admit I have said it, I have said it often.

Her response to this statement was that "Jesus will repeatedly give you more than you can handle so you will turn to him"

I continued to "chew" on this after I got home. Didn't scripture say that God would not give us more than we could bear? I was sure there was a scripture that supported that, now if I could remember where...Gotta love technology, I googled the phrase and this is the scripture that popped out.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But where you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it   1 Corinthians 10:13

Hmm, perhaps she is right, it looks like God will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear, doesn't really say anything about our trials. Then I continued to think about it....by saying God would not give us more than we can bear, it sort of speaks of self sufficiency, what I can handle. Then I came across this scripture

We do not want you to be uninformed brothers of the hardships we suffered in the providence of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God            2 Corinthians 1:8-9

Again this seems to support what Nancy had said in the seminar, it's not about what we are able to bear but it's about getting to the point of turning it all to him...being desperate for Him.. will continue to ponder this awhile....then I found this scripture

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. that is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong....(his strength, not mine) 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

A promise that his grace is sufficient whatever my circumstances may be...I may not have it all figured out....okay...really... will I ever have it all figured out this side of heaven....but his word says his grace is sufficient so that is where I will rest


8 comments:

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

I really like her statment. God doesn't give us more than what we AND HE together can bear. I do think that's a critical difference... as it's in that 'not able to bear it' stage that we go to Him, and then we are sharing our burden and seeing His ability to handle it with us, and in us, in such a way that we could not do alone. Good thoughts!

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Wonderful post filled with such great verses to contemplate.

Creations By Cindy said...

Love this post. We just had this same discussion recently at my ladies group at church. Amazing how we have ALWAYS said certain things that WE thought was right...maybe because we had been taught that or we had heard it our whole lives! Love it when the Living Word of God becomes real to us! Happy Wednesday. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

Camille said...

Thank you for sharing this Maryann. I agree...we must not rely on ourselves....and that statement is not really complete as you point out, unless we qualify ~ The LORD will never give us more than we can bear...WITH Him! HE carries us. HE sustains. HE gives grace. It is all about HIM! How wonderful it is to belong to our Precious Saviour! I so appreciated this post and the Scriptures you shared...thank you! :)

Many blessings,
Camille

NanaNor's said...

Greetings Maryann, Powerful post! I had never heard of Nancy Guthrie before but agreed with how often we use that expression. I too have felt like I couldn't bear any more but had to fall before our Lord and beg His help. As a young christian I memorized the verse from 1Cor.10. You have given me something to chew on today-thank you. I will be much slower to respond to others going through trials-now I will offer them Jesus' help.
Hugs, Noreen

Vee said...

So much to ponder here...

Always Nesting said...

Great post!

I truly believe my cancer is not about me but what I'm supposed to do for Them. Them - all the people I meet at the cancer center. Them - the young people, scared from this cancer, Them - the old people, frail and needing someone to listen. Them - the doctors, nurses, and techs that see suffering all day long.

I no longer think that it's all about me and my own little pity party. It took me at my knees, to finally look up and "see" what I was supposed to be seeing. God has put people in front of me that make me laugh, hug, cry for, tease, listen to, bake for, care about, and pray for. I believe God has kept me strong not only for me, but for me to be an encouragement to Them.

Farm Girl said...

I like that and that phrase as always made me stop because I think of the fiery furnace. It has been that God never lets me out of my trials but He is with me in the midst of the trial. It always seems to it is more than I can bear. God still even says, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. He hasn't. It still is never any easier is it. I just wish I would accept them with more grace, instead of trying to find ways to wiggle out. :)
You gave me lots and lots of food for thought. Thanks