I've heard people say this many times – I may have even said it myself. These words are usually intended to give
comfort, or to reassure the person that is facing some agonizing situation that
they will get through it. That somehow,
someway, they will be strong enough to come out on the other side.
I’ve searched for the Bible verse
promising that God won’t give us more than we can bear, and I can’t find it. In his first letter to the Corinthians, the
apostle Paul writes that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. But in terms of the painful trials
we experience in this life, I don’t find scriptures suggesting that God gives
us trials in proportion to our strength to bear them.
If we stop and think about it, what
are we implying? That for some reason
God “rewards” strong, faithful people with weightier, more challenging
problems? That He protects the weak from
trials but burdens the strong?
Sometimes
I hear people say, “Oh, I could never survive if such and such a thing happened
to me.” Usually the person is imagining some
catastrophic event, like a tragic accident, or the loss of a child, a spouse,
or a loved one. They just know they
would not be able to keep going if their worst nightmare became reality. And yet for people who have suffered loss and
devastating situations, they will tell you that they did not feel that they could
bear the weight of these trials before they faced them either.
I know in my own life, I have faced
disappointments and trials beyond my capacity to bear. I have felt hopeless. And rather than discovering that I was strong
enough, after all, to endure such hardships, I found that God gave me the
strength I needed when I needed it. He
brought people into my life to help me carry the burden, and He Himself carried
me when my burdens were too much to bear.
I believe that God is in control and
does allow trials to come our way, and that He is always working for our good. But it’s not our own strength that determines
how we will weather the storms of life; it’s our dependence on Him that matters
most. Look at these verses:
Psalm
68:19: Praise be to the Lord, to God our
Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Matthew 5:3:
You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His
rule. (The Message)
Isaiah 43:18: So
do not fear, for I am with you; do
not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen
you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Notice the emphasis on God’s presence, His
strength, His help, and His hand upholding us.)
Psalm 55:22:
Give your burdens to the Lord. He will
carry them.
Isaiah 40:31: But
those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
Even Jesus, on the night before he
was crucified, felt overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. He prayed; he asked his disciples to stay
awake and pray with him. “Father, if it
is possible, take this cup from me” – He knew what was coming, and it was too
much to bear. He submitted his will to
his Father’s, saying, “yet not my will, but yours be done”. Luke’s gospel
records that after praying, an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened
him. On the way to Golgotha, the place
where Jesus would lay down his life for us, after having been brutally beaten
and whipped, his human, broken body could not bear the weight of his
cross. Soldiers seized a man named Simon
from Cyrene and forced him to carry the cross for Jesus.
Galatians 6:2: Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
My mom is undergoing treatment for
cancer, and many caring friends have come alongside her and our family to help during this
difficult time. They're driving Mom to
appointments, taking her shopping for scarves and hats, picking up her mail and
bringing her dinners. They're supporting my
sisters and me as we learn and process information, coordinate schedules, take
turns traveling, and do our best to navigate this unpredictable
road. Alone, my mom’s burden is too much
to bear. But with the support of her
friends and family, with God giving her strength and grace each step of the
way, she is getting through each challenge.
She hasn’t made it in her own strength; she depends on God to help her
and provide for her, to give her what she needs when she needs it. Her
dependence on Him is what makes her strong.
I’ve had help with my burdens, too. As I have tried my best to juggle mommyhood,
working part-time, and traveling back and forth to Michigan to help my mom, I
have been so thankful for the support from my husband, my children, and many
caring friends. Several friends brought
our family meals. My bible study group prayed
for my mom and our family every week, all year.
Just when I needed encouragement the most, I’d get a text, a phone call,
or an email from someone, telling me, “I’m praying for you.” And when no one could ease my deepest fears
and sadness, God has consistently given me peace and comfort, hope and a sense
of calm that could only come from him.
I am not counting on my own strength
to get me through any future trials that may come my way. I am learning to depend on God, believing he
will help me and give me strength. He
will bring people alongside me when my burdens feel too heavy.
Are you relying on your own strength
when you face difficulties, or are you depending on the One who daily bears
your burdens?
