Can I be honest with you for a minute?

Okay…silly question. I should preface this by saying, “Thank you for always allowing me to be honest with you.” I have to admit, brutal honesty is tough. I get scared of what others will think of my thoughts. Yet a bigger part of me fears not walking in obedience with the Lord so when I feel His push to share, I do my best to obey.

I’m getting tired of Christians giving these robotic answers to others in the midst suffering, “God only gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers” and “He will never give you more than you can handle. ”

I’ve NEVER believed either of those statements. I simply don’t think they are true.
If those statements were true…why would we need to rely on God for strength in our weakness?

Why would we spend countless nights in uncontrollable sobs, begging Him to step in and DO SOMETHING to change a devastating circumstance?

Why would a grotesque number of people die from starvation & curable illness every day?
Why would children be born into abuse, poverty, slavery?
Why would people endure & suffer with hideous disease for years on end?
Why would our prison systems be overflowing with broken people who were never loved, cared or provided for?

If the Lord allowed all of the above groups of people to face a life riddled with suffering wouldn’t He have created them “tough” enough to beat the Giants?

If those situations were NOT more than these people could handle…wouldn’t the outcome of their lives look radically different?

You see, I think we respond to others heartbreak with these phrases because it’s a cop out. It’s easier to think, “Yeah that’s a bad situation…but that person is really strong and tough. They can get through it..” than to truly THINK and realize “Horrible things happen to good people, even those who are obedient to God. We live in a constant war of good versus evil. Suffering is a part of life that we will all face. This doesn’t seem fair, but as humans we aren’t in control.”
It hurts too much to hurt for others. We cannot take on the weight of the world though sometimes we try.

But God doesn’t want us to believe that as people we are capable of surviving the toughest storms with simply our own strength. I don’t think God wants us to turn blind eyes to our friends, family, and strangers who are enduring hardships.
I don’t think God wants us to give cookie cutter responses that don’t hold ANY actual value, weight, or meaning. I don’t think it’s godly to tell someone you’ll pray for them if you don’t actually mean it.

I’ll be the first to admit I am GULITY as charged.. Of responding with thoughtless, typical Christian answers then walking away and never thinking about that person/situation again. I am certainly GUILTY of vowing to pray for others yet never following through. I am GUILTY of closing my eyes & ears to suffering because it’s too hard to digest.

I am merely HUMAN, a SINNER. And I DESPERATELY need a SAVIOR in my life to give me strength to face the unfaceable, to provide courage in the terrifying, & to carry the heavy load when life hands me WAY more than I can handle.

Because as people…we really can’t handle that much before we bend & break & go absolutely bonkers.

We just can’t.

But HE CAN handle it all. There is no such things as “too much for God.”
One cookie cutter Christian phrase that I am fond of is, “If God brings you to it, He’ll bring you through it.”

Now that I do believe.

If He allows something awful to take root in your life He can turn it around into something that creates eternal purpose.
Even if you don’t survive, the Lord promises a room in Paradise for those who love Him. He will see you through until the end of your Earthly life & to the end of eternity.

He can carry it all.
He makes the toughest battles survivable because of HIS strength, HIS grace, HIS might, HIS wisdom, HIS miracles, HIS WILL.

When you’re in the midst of a storm that is WAY more than you can handle, He will meet you where you are. Hold your hand, stand beside you, listen to your prayers, and in HIS time He will answer in HIS best way.
When your life is MORE than you can handle, choose to surrender your life to Him and allow God to carry the heavy load. Life will still feel too heavy at times but we have a Savior who has come to SAVE & RESCUE & give STRENGTH to pull you through the darkest days.

He has created us all with a spirit of courage, not fear. (2 Timothy 1:7) And we know that through Christ we are “more than conquerors.” (Romans 8:31-39)
He WILL equip you to become a strong, courageous, firm, unshakeable soldier rooted in HIM. We are only strong because of His strength. We are only tough because of His peace that drives out fear. And even the weakest person in this world can transform into the most powerful if the Holy Spirit is within them.
Life overwhelms us with more than we can take.

The scariest, toughest circumstances are handed to mere, weak humans every day. And we can’t understand it. And no, it’s not fair.

But God is in the midst of everything. Working, moving, redeeming, & SAVING. With HIM all things are possible.

Rely on Him as your rock & watch the beauty unfold. Rest assured, He WILL carry you through whatever the day brings.