Debunking a Popular Myth

 

Here's a sermon that I first delivered four years ago which evaluates the truth of the popular phrase, "God never gives you more than you can handle."

"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 stand up under it."

It's hard to say how a myth gets started. Someone reports an event as truth; someone else believes it; and it starts to spread. For whatever reason, I have a strong interest in "urban legends," stories that are reportedly true, but have no real basis in fact. The ease with which urban legends can spread has been multiplied by the rise of the Internet. Now, as story that would have only been told regionally can go worldwide with the click of a mouse.
Urban legends are also known as "a friend of a friend" stories, because they are often relayed to others by saying "This really happened to someone my friend knows." But much of the time these stories are completely made up.
Here is one of my favorites: A man I work with claims his father was driving down I-75 here in Michigan and saw a stranded limousine by the side of the road. He pulled up to the driver's window and offered the use of his cell phone. The driver was thankful because the limo's cell phone wasn't working. After calling for assistance, the driver asks if the guy wants to meet the famous people inside the limo. Of course he does, and is promptly introduced to Donald and Ivana Trump. Mr. Trump indicates his thankfulness and asks if there is anything he can do for the man. He thinks a moment and then says, "just send my wife some flowers. She would be thrilled to get flowers from Donald Trump." Trump takes the man's address and says he'll do just that. The man drives away pretty happy.
A few months go by, and the man and his wife are eating breakfast, when all of a sudden the doorbell rings and there's this huge flower arrangement sitting on the front stoop. After getting the arrangement through the front door, they both read the attached card, which says, "Thank you very much for the help. By the way, we've paid off your mortgage. Signed, the Trumps"
Great story, but the only problem is that the same type of story has been told about Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Bill Gates, and other celebrities. It's a story people tell themselves because they want to believe that they'll be rewarded for their Good Samaritan activities. In fact, most urban legends have some sort of moral. They're like Aesop's Fables of the 21st century.
Unfortunately, urban legends can worm their way into the Church, as well. This is nothing new. Saint Paul warned his colleague Timothy, "The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine…they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." Now some myths are obvious and are easy to debunk and dismiss. But some myths are very difficult to deal with, because they describe things we hold dear, they describe things we really wish were true, and those dreams die hard.
Today's Epistle lesson gives us the perfect opportunity to talk about one of those myths, something that has become an urban legend of sorts among Christians. And I think that it's time we debunked this particular myth, because it really gives us a false impression about the Christian life.
What is the myth? Well, it goes something like this. I've heard well-meaning Christian people say, when they're going through a hard time, "God never gives you more than you can handle." Let me say it again. The myth is: "God never gives you more than you can handle." I sure wish that was true, and so does everyone else who says it. But the problem is I can't find that in the Bible. What I do find is the verse that's included in today's Epistle, which reads: "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 stand up under it." Now, that is an incredible promise. St. Paul says here that God will always provide a way out of temptation. He will always provide the means to say no to a sinful choice. He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. That's the truth. Somewhere along the line, though, that mutated into the increasingly common, "God never gives you more than you can handle," and these are two separate things.
What's wrong with "God never gives you more than you can handle"? It's just this: Sometimes we are given things we can't handle. Not alone. Do you really think God allows cancer to threaten a child's life because he knows the family can handle it? Do you really think God permits a loved one to waste away from disease because he thinks you can handle it? "Well, I'll have them go through the heart attack of their dad, but I won't kill him, because they couldn't handle that." You don't just "handle" the death of a spouse who's been with you three quarters of your life. You don't just "handle" a bitter family dispute. You don't just "handle" having to become a parent to your aging parents. These things tear you apart. They squeeze all the energy out of you. They drive you to your knees. God does not watch us being put through the wringer and think to himself, "well, he's a tough guy; he can take it." There are things that happen in our lives that we just don't have the wherewithal to handle. And that, my friends, is the point.
When were are driven to our knees by life—and if it hasn't happened yet, you can be sure that it will—when you are confronted with situations that are just too much to handle—then you are finally ready to really and truly depend on your Lord Jesus Christ. The storms of life strip away our illusion of self-reliance. They drown the type of pride that says "I can handle this." But God, in his wisdom, uses those same storms to pull us like a riptide to the cross of Jesus Christ. At the cross we see how deeply we are loved by God, especially when our circumstances would tempt us to believe otherwise. There is purpose in Jesus' suffering, namely the removal of sin's awful curse from us; and there in purpose in our suffering, even though that is harder to see.
But know this too: the same Jesus who suffered and died made the third day after his burial a celebration of life and victory over evil. The same pattern holds true for you: suffering, then glory. There is hope not just for a brighter day, but an eternal day that belongs to you as a child of God. In faith we look forward to justice being served; we look forward to forgetting all about sin, pain, and death; we look forward to all creation being restored. The final word has already been spoken on all these things: "It is finished."
But what do we do now? Now, when the wounds are still open and the nerves are still shot? Well, you could start by coming to the meal Jesus has gotten ready for you here today. Jesus invites you to come to the table he sets in His Church. He invites you to come with all of your baggage, all of your hurt, all your exhaustion; come as you are! Come hungry and thirsty for that which is good, and you will not be disappointed, as Jesus gives you His own body, which handled so much suffering; as He pours into you his blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Yet these are not dead things we consume, but living! Our risen, active, victorious Lord meets you right here, and there is peace; there is wholeness; there is profound goodness entering you. It is Jesus Christ himself! Come to the table. Throw your burdens on his broad shoulders; then help yourselves to the gifts He worked so hard to give you.
After you've left his feast, what then? Well, do not let your troubles put you into circle-the-wagons mode, with Jesus on the outside looking in. Do not let your situation get you so worked up that you forget to eat and drink. Isn't that what Mom always said—"You've got to eat!" She was right. When you're getting beat up by life, do not forget to keep eating and drinking at the table of your Lord. Don't forget to eat and drink of the Words he has spoken to you in Holy Scripture. If you don't feed your faith, especially when stress is burning those calories, how do you expect it to stay alive?

Whatever you are going through right now, you don't have to pretend that it's all up to you to try and handle it. You have the Son of God to depend on. He is totally reliable. Pride says, "It's up to me. I've got to be tough. I can handle this myself." But there is a better way, and that is to let your Shepherd carry you. Humble yourself and depend on Him.

God never gives you more than you can handle? Let's let go of that urban legend. As a substitute truth, how about Philippians 4:13: "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." Amen.