God will not give you more than you can handle. Have you thought that, or heard others say this? I have said it and also heard others say it a lot. I said it many, many years ago, because I just misunderstood what the Bible said about this. Come to find out many years later, and this seems to be one of the most misquoted and misunderstood concepts in the Bible. 

Most of the time, when people say God will not give you more than you can handle, it comes from a passage from Paul in 1 Corinthians 10. 

“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.” - ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

On the surface, I suppose you can skim or breeze through this verse and walk away with that meaning. But if we look just a little closer, we will see this verse for what it is, and it is much different. 

Let’s back up just a little to gain some context for Paul's verse here, it might help a little. All the verses in this chapter preceding this were around Paul doing a history lesson. Paul was reminding the Corinthians of the Hebrews in the Old Testimate. Reminding them that they were exposed to miracle after miracle and continued to live sinfully and jacked up lives. Drawing the connection that these were examples the Corinthians needed to look at, and choose a different path, not repeat history. It was a warning! 

This history lesson and warning lead up to this:

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” - ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

BE CAREFUL! We have history to look at, and we can see that having amazing and glorious experiences all around us does not inherently lead to Godly living. Remember the Hebrews. 

“No temptation has overtaken you, except what is common to mankind. -‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬a ‭NIV‬‬

Next, Paul goes into temptation and reminds the Corinthians that this is normal; you are not navigating anything that others have not had to navigate...past and even present. Basically, hey guys, you are not alone!

And here is the part of the verse that I think people get tripped up with and misquote:

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. - ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬b ‭NIV‬‬

God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear! Boom...there we go. God is faithful, and he won’t give us more than we can bear.  NO! That’s not what it says, and inevitably not what Paul means.  Paul said you wouldn't be TEMPTED beyond what you can bear. 

Let’s break it down this way. Temptation vs. Suffering. Temptation, what Paul said, for the most part, is connected with our choices and things and situations that we have decision making and control of. Being tempted isn’t the sin, acting and deciding on that temptation is the sin. Paul said we wouldn’t be tempted beyond what you can bear...what we have the ability to say no to. Suffering is not connected to decisions we make and actions we are in control of for the most part. These are two very different words, meanings, and ideas that should not be confused with each other. 

Paul drives home this difference between temptation and suffering in the next sentence:

But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” - ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Again, the temptation isn’t the sin; the decision following the temptation is the sin. Paul reminds the Corinthians of that here, saying he will provide a way out...a way to avoid the sin. Suffering that happens doesn’t work this way, and we don’t have a choice in the matter of what comes our way, there are often no ways out of suffering besides walking through it. 

So again, here is the full passage:

“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 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.” -‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:12-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God often gives us way more than we can handle; this I call life. Daily or weekly carrying more than I can handle; therefore, I lean on others, lean on Christ and community to bear the load of life. 

But, the temptation is not suffering. And Paul throws in one of his beautiful transition statements we should always pay attention to. THEREFORE! When we see, therefore, ask, what’s it “there for?”

“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” - ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Flee from idolatry. AKA - STOP, DROP and RUN from anything that you are elevating above God. Pauls is saying if you want to make this easier on yourself, if you're going to get this right and not have temptation beyond what you can handle, then inspect your life and stop, drop and run from any area that has become an idol. 

Every day God allows us to carry more than we can handle, it’s called life, and we should lean on Christ and our community to help us through it. Let’s not confuse temptation with suffering, and may God give us the clarity, commitment, and decisiveness to flee from idolatry today!