Sermon preached by Pam Northrup at St. Philip Lutheran Church, Raleigh, NC. June 10, 2018.
Are you feeling stressed today? Are you anxious about something that’s happening in the coming days? Have you received some bad news that’s concerning you? Are you fearful about an uncertain future? Is there a decision you need to make or an action you need to take that’s challenging you?
Don’t worry, God won’t give you more than you can handle. I suspect you’ve heard this from someone trying to encourage you. Maybe you’ve said it to comfort someone. You mean well, you sincerely hope that these words will help someone hang in there, feel better.
Maybe it’s part of your head talk, something you whisper to yourself when facing a challenge; God won’t give me more than I can handle. Okay, I got this, at least I hope so because, you know, God won’t give me more than I can handle.
It sounds good, right? It even sounds biblical, but the truth is, my friends, that this statement doesn’t appear in scripture.
The passage we heard from 1 Corinthians 10 is often cited as the biblical basis for the statement, “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” specifically verse 13.
Paul writes: 13No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing, he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
The Greek word that is translated in the NRSV as “testing” can also be translated as “trial” and “temptation.” All three of those words are appropriate translations of the Greek word, so here is where context matters. Given the context in which Paul is his letter to the Corinthians, I think the better choice is temptation.
At the time of Paul, Corinth was known for its sexual immorality and pagan worship. The early believers in Corinth were struggling with living faithfully while breaking out of that system and some were being tempted to go back to serving false gods.
In the opening verses of chapter 10, Paul reminds the Christians in Corinth that, while in the desert, the Israelites were complaining, angry about their situation in the desert. They lost confidence in Moses and Aaron and turned their backs on God. Some gave in to the temptations and went back to worshiping idols which did not go well for them.
And so, Paul writes to warn the Christians in Corinth about this same temptation, the temptation to worship idols, because their whole society revolved around pagan worship. Many business dealings were carried out at feasts honoring pagan idols and a person’s social status relied on attending these feasts. So, if you wanted friends in Corinth, you needed to be seen at these events. The temptation was real.
So, Paul is writing specifically about temptation, those things that would draw you away from God, not about the difficult things that come your way in life.
He’s telling the Corinthian Christians that they are being tempted in the same way the Israelites and all human beings are tempted. And that when we are tempted, God will supply a way out of the temptation.
A way out of temptation, so that we can endure it. A way out…that intuition that tells you, I probably shouldn’t go there; that lingering thought that says, this doesn’t seem right; wisdom from someone who says, I don’t think so; a community who loves you and prays for you.
The question is, will we take the way out that God provides for us, will we fall into the loving hands of God who is compassionate, full of grace, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; or will we give in to the temptation; will we like the Israelites and the Corinthians forget who we are and whose we are and go our own way.
Every Sunday, we pray the Lord’s Prayer. Most of us even have the traditional form of the prayer memorized. In one of the petitions, we pray, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. I’ve always stumbled with this one because, honestly, I don’t believe that God leads us into temptation.
Punctuation matters. Unfortunately, punctuation marks didn’t exist in the original languages, so scribes and translators added them later one. And punctuation matters.
In this petition of our beloved prayer, I think the comma is in the wrong place. Instead of saying “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” which implies that God is causing the temptation; maybe it should be “lead us, not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Another version of the Lord’s prayer translates the petition as save us from the time of trial. For me, this captures the essence of my understanding of who God is and who I am.
This is our prayer for God to lead us through our lives, save us from that which causes broken relationships and emotional, physical, and spiritual harm.
And so we pray, lead us in right pathways, as the psalmist prays in Psalm 23, and 4Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; delivering me, saving me, from the evil around and within me.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, taught that our God is the source of good gifts, not of temptations, traumas, and tragedies.
James was clear when he wrote in James, chapter 1: “13No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and God tempts no one. 14But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; 15then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. 16Do not be deceived, my beloved. 17Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
You see, verse 13 of 1 Corinthians 10 is not about “God not giving you more than you can handle.” Instead, it’s about God helping you when you are tempted, and you will be. Not by God’s actions but by our own choices, our own brokenness, our own struggle to live faithfully.
Now let’s look closely at the statement “God won’t give you more than you can handle” and see what it says about God and us.
I have a problem with the first four words, “God won’t give you…” Remember, that this statement is often said to comfort and encourage people who are going through difficult times. These four words imply that whatever horrible, painful, and hurtful thing you are going through, God gave it to you—but lucky for you, God won’t give you more than you can handle. And just before you reach your breaking point, God will stop giving you so much. So, don’t worry, you’ll be okay.”
This doesn’t fit with scripture, as I know it. We need only to look at the sweep of scripture beginning with God’s blessing at creation, continuing with God’s ongoing blessing and unconditional grace when the people of God sinned and turned their backs on God, continuing in Jesus, God with us, whose life, death and resurrection changed everything; and who’s coming again will restore all creation, us and every relationship, to the blessing that God meant it to be.
We need only to look at the example of Jesus to see God providing more than enough food to those who were hungry; healing to those who were sick; restoration of sight to the blind; living water to the thirsty; inclusion to those who were excluded; peace to those who were troubled; assurance to those who were afraid.
You see, God didn’t cause the lack of food, or the illness, or the exclusion, or the troubled spirit, or the fear.
And God doesn’t cause earthquakes and volcano eruptions, cancer and sickness, mental illness, financial hardships, and other struggles that we face. Those things happen because of the brokenness in our lives and in this world.
The good news is that this brokenness is not the end of the story because “God, who is our refuge and strength, is faithful, a help always near in times of great trouble. That’s why we won’t be afraid when the world falls apart.” (Psalm 46)
My friends, Jesus says in Matthew 11: 28-30; 28Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
And the prophet Isaiah, declaring the word of the Lord in Isaiah 43: 1-5a, speaks of God’s presence in struggles, suffering, and pain in this way:
1But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2Whenyou pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 4Because you are precious in my sight and honored, and I love you, 5Do not fear, for I am with you.”
Both Jesus and Isaiah understood the reality of our lives. We are carrying heavy burdens. We are weary and in need of rest. There will be times when we feel desperate and alone when we think that we’re not good enough.
We will walk through waters that overwhelm us and fires that burn; not because “God won’t give us more than we can handle” but because this is the human reality on this side of heaven, while we wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises.
And while we wait, we can cling to God who is the faithful one. We can cling to the words of Jesus who says; come to me and I will give you rest. We can cling to the word of the Lord who says, I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine, I will be with you because you are precious in my sight and honored and I love you.
So, my friends, rather than saying “God won’t give us more than we can handle” let’s adopt a promise that is more accurate, more scriptural, and hopefully more encouraging and helpful. Repeat after me: “God is with you (me) and will help you (me) handle everything.” Turn to someone near you and share this promise.
Let us pray. Loving and faithful God, you came to bring healing and light, to pour out on us all good and perfect gifts. Thank you for your presence in our lives and for your grace that is sufficient. Whatever comes my way, hold me close in the shelter of your love. Amen.