God Doesn't Give You More Than You Can Handle. Or Does He?

What is the common "Christianly" response we give people when they say that they are overwhelmed by life's hardships? I bet it's: "God doesn't give you more than you can handle." Naively, I have spoken these words several times with the intent to encourage. In retrospect, I may have caused confusion.

We have a family member going through a very tough time right now. She had heard that "God doesn't give us more than we can handle," but as far as she is concerned, what she is dealing with is way more than she can handle. I agree with her. God does give us more than we can handle. Often, when things are going good, we forget to rely of God. As soon as a storm hits though, we refocus and cry out to God for help. It is in the moments of desperation that we see God's goodness. The Bible has never stated that God won't give you more than you can handle. He's given my family more than we can handle on several occasions. 

First Corinthians 10:13 says that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what can we bear without providing a way out. I think this verse gets misinterpreted which in turn causes people to doubt God's goodness and sovereignty. God is always in control and nothing surprises him. He allows us to make  our own choices and then deal with the consequences, but he is always there providing hope and direction. Being tempted is very different than dealing with life stresses. In temptation, you are always given the choice to say no. If however, you succumb to temptation there will be consequences which will most likely stress you out. That stress comes from our choices. Most stresses result from the decisions we make in life. Other stress comes from things we can't control. Death of a loved one, divorce, and job loss to name a few.  

Here's the beauty of the Lord. He's there, ready to carry your burdens no matter what caused the stress. He's saying to you at this very moment, come to me and I will give you rest. Sorrow lasts for the night, but joy comes in the morning! Cast all your anxieties, worries, fears, and heart breaks on Him because he cares for you! He really cares for you! The sorrows you are experiencing are giving you an opportunity to declare your dependence on God. Ephesians 3:20-21 says that God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. Even when you don't see a way out of your circumstances, there is hope! God can do more, but the contingency is that you have to ask. 

I leave you with the wise words of Paul in regards to handling our stresses. Distress that drives us to God turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets. And now, isn’t it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You’re more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. (2 Corinthians 7:10-12) 

Does God give us more than we can handle? Yes! But He never leaves us in the process. He is in control and we must trust him even when we don't understand. Do not lean on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight. I promise! We can stand on the promises of God. 

Be encouraged in the sorrows because it is building your spiritual maturity and giving you an opportunity to put your trust in the One who never fails. Our God is able to meet all your needs according to his glorious riches! Trust in Him, Sisters.  He will bring you through and show you the purpose behind the pain. 

Until the whole world hears, 

Emily

Our first Vlog!  (that's a video blog)

The Mighty Morphin Power Words

Something happened to me yesterday at Walmart that I just can't seem to get out of my head, so I guess I'll blog about it.

As Kendell and I turned down the baby food aisle, we came upon a beautiful baby boy and his mommy. I asked the baby's name and age to strike up a conversation and Kendell seemed very anxious to babble with her new found friend. This little boy had red hair which looked like it had been sun-kissed with perfectly placed blonde highlights. I had prayed for hair just like this, but as I enjoy my dirty dishwater hair;  I reveled over this gorgeous little boy. I found it interesting that after complimenting his hair, the mom was quick to tell me that she had hoped he wouldn't have red hair. "Not for a boy," she kept saying. I pondered the thought that the very thing I had prayed for, she had prayed against. Not only that, but she was adamant about red hair not being for boys. My heart hurt just then because God created that little boy and counted every single little red hair on his head. He has plans for him and wants to give him good gifts. Maybe God even gave him red hair for a specific purpose! Instead of appreciating his uniqueness, she chose to dwell on what she perceived to be negative. Then it occurred to me, our words have tremendous power. Although this is a mom example, it can be applied to all our interactions. However, I will continue with my current example and speak to moms because our words have incredible influence over our children.



Often the Bible compares words to a sword. In fact, in Ephesians 6, God's Word is described as a sword. The sword is an offensive weapon. The meaning of the word sword is to wound or cut. God's Word is described as a sword because we are to take it into battle against the evil one. It's powerful and can cut through the deceptions, temptations, and the distractions because it is a sword of Truth. Go to battle for your kids! This may mean against other people who are trying to discourage them, or it could be with the world that is trying to fill our children with lies and distractions, or it could mean going to battle for them in our own minds.  Luke 6:45 says that our mouths will speak what is in our hearts. That's a huge responsibility for us to carry, but also an important mission from the Lord! We need to keep our hearts pure. Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)  When we are thinking thoughts as the ones above and spending time with our Savior, there's no room left for defeating negative thoughts! It's a process we must go through daily because as soon as we let our guard down, you know we're vulnerable for attack! 

I say all of this to say, that your words have the power of life! They can set the course for your children to become all that God has called them to be! You shape their future and mold their confidence. Most importantly, you show them how God loves them by the words you speak into their lives. Choose them wisely! Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29) Our children are listening! Let's benefit them! :)

And even when we mess up, which often we do, we can also demonstrate God's grace by apologizing to our children and seeking their forgiveness. Fight with sword and heal with your words! Praying for you and living it with you.

Until the whole world hears,
Emily

Destined for Greatness

When you think about the great heroes of our faith, who comes to mind?  What made them great?  What do they all have in common?  Were they of noble birth?  Did they receive divine revelations, then step out in faith?

Most of these heroes were ordinary people, chosen by God to be used in an extraordinary way.  So what about the rest of us, can we become great in God's Kingdom?  God certainly can become GREAT in us, and that is the ultimate goal!  God must be GREAT in us, lifted up, and glorified!  When He's high and lifted up, ministry is birthed!



^" And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." John 12:32

So you may be asking, "What's next?" or "Where do I start?"  Honestly, start ANYWHERE!  Just start SOMETHING!!  All too often we're waiting for permission from a person we admire, or for someone else to catch our vision.  Either way, when no one seems to catch the vision, or we don't hear the thundering voice from Heaven, we're left feeling hopeless that we could ever make a difference.  I would challenge that because we've been given the mandate to "Go into all the world..." (even if it's a small part of the world, like your own backyard...GO!!).  Also,  I feel as women, we tend to feel limited with our time and resources.  We have so many things on our plate:  kids to care for; work; serving in church ministry; etc.  We feel trapped and isolated, leading to feelings of doubt that God could ever use us. Dear sisters, this is completely untrue!

 Wherever God has placed you, just remember you're in that specific place for a reason!  Embrace where you're at, then pray and ask God to open your eyes to the needs around you!  Remember, whoever's been faithful with a little, will be entrusted to much!

Scriptures to read:

 

"And he said unto them,' Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.'"
Mark 16:14-16

"And he said to him ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’" Luke 19:17

Thoughts to ponder:

*Where has God placed me?
*What are some of the needs around me?
*What can I do to reach out to those around me?
*Am I allowing God to use me?
*How can I become Great in the Kingdom of God according to scripture?
*Is my life a living testimony of radical faith in Christ?  If not, how can I change?

Join the discussion, and let's hear your thoughts!

Yours in the Journey,
Shannon



Divine Rest

Do you ever find yourself wanting to rest in the Lord, but just aren't able to?  Do you go through discouragement in your quiet time because you can't seem to squeeze in all the prayer requests? Or are you struggling to even hear God speak to you?

Lately, these questions have daunted my mind, because I have lived it.  I get so flustered when I have "X" amount of time for quiet and can't seem to get anything meaningful "accomplished" in my time with the Lord.  I would walk away with feelings of defeat and discouragement.  I spoke to quite a few people about this, and I've tried everything from formulas on "how to pray", to putting on worship music, and also to finding a good devotional book.

 All of these things are good, and have helped me in my journey! But one thing no one had suggested to me, was to just be still.  That's it.  No music.  No order of operations. Just me in perfect solitude with my Savior.  Now for a modern-day woman, there's really no such thing as doing nothing! It's a waste of time when so much can get done, or in this case, so much can be prayed for!
Here is where I think the feelings of guilt and discouragement sneak upon us! We feel we must be praying for something or someone all of the time and if we don't, our prayers are useless...or it really isn't considered "praying."

Friends, it is so easy to become overwhelmed with prayer requests, to the point where we feel burned out.  I do not believe God designed prayer to be this way, or to be a recitation of prayer requests...even though it certainly can feel that way sometimes! I believe God designed prayer for rest and communion with Him!

Remember the story of Mary and Martha? Martha was so busy running around, trying to get things done, but Mary sat at Jesus' feet and rested. Martha complained about Mary, but Jesus COMMENDED Mary for choosing what is better! Likewise dear sisters, I want to encourage you to "choose what is better."  Rest at His feet...It certainly won't be taken from you!

"Be still, and know that I AM God."   Psalm 46:10 (emphasis my own)

"The Lord goes to battle for you, you need only to be still."  Exodus 14:14 

^" But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

Yours in the Journey,

Shannon :)

The Tale of Two Cities Continued...

Peace. It's a word that has eluded me in the last month. Not because God doesn't give me peace, but because I refused to accept it. In my earlier blog, The Tale of Two Cites, I shared how I have been wrestling with a decision to join a church plant team and move back to my hometown. I shared that my husband received a word from the Lord to "stay" and so here we stay. Although I have a tremendous amount of respect for my husband and know that he hears from God; I was still unsettled in the matter because I wanted to hear a word too! It's kinda the control issue in me that I'm trying to work on. ;)

Well, after many journal entries, hardcore prayer and pursing the Holy Spirit, we have both received the word "stay". I am thankful that the Lord is patient with me. So thankful! In the midst of my quiet time, He brought confirmation. As I read 1 Corinthians 7:17-24, I knew instantly that the Holy Spirit was speaking to me, however it was not the word I wanted to hear. So figuring I wasn't hearing correctly I started researching the context of the Scripture and the background information about this particular passage. Here's the kicker, every additional piece of information only confirmed it further.  After about an hour of denial, I finally relented. BUT, I now have peace. Perfect Peace.

Have you ever been where I was? Lacking peace. Discontent in your circumstances. I learned two very important things in my Jonah moment.
1) The Lord is patient and will wait for me to be obedient.
2) The Lord has appointed my circumstances and I need to serve Him where He's placed me.

All in all, the Lord is asking me to be content. Contentment is the confidence and quiet peace to accept our circumstances and serve God, knowing he's the one who appointed them. The apostle Paul repeated the importance of contentment in Philippians 4:11, stating to be content in whatever circumstances he is in. I am not saying that you can never move, but the Lord will make it very clear if it is His Will for you to move. In our case, we are to remain and serve.

While Brian and I were talking about this, he shared a footnote he had found in his Bible under the passage in 1 Corinthians. It read "Often we are so concerned about what we could be doing for God somewhere else that we miss great opportunities right where we are." Isn't' that a wonderful reminder when we are feeling discontented. Great opportunities are right around the corner, don't miss them because you are dreaming of what could be! God appointed our circumstances and it is our responsibility to serve him with joy where we are. With a new focus, I am turning my dreams into reality right where I am! Serve the Lord with gladness and come before him with joyful songs!
(Psalm 100)

Until the whole world hears,
Emily

Can You Love?

Passion...

This word in one form or another keeps coming across my path. I was reading my daily devotion which happened to be about love, specifically God's love. Agape love, unconditional love, can only be experienced and expressed through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit living within us enables us to love others as God does. The devotional went so far to say that anyone who doesn't know God can't love others the way God does. This is a pretty powerful statement considering that God's love is the one we are to model in our marriages, families, and friendships. A very interesting point. One that caught my attention and I as pondered, it became the focus for this blog.

Anyone who doesn't know God can't love others the way God does.

At first when I read that statement, I thought it was a little harsh. However, as I studied it further and allowed the Holy Spirit to teach me something, my eyes were opened to the many examples around me which demonstrates this truth.  If one isn't a follower of Jesus, one simply can't love. Sure, they can love in the way the world does. Friendship love and erotic love are good, but eventually will fade away. Friendships end and unfortunately so do many marriages.  First Corinthians 13 lays out a perfect way to love, but I have fallen short of that so many times. It is comforting to know, however, that's how God loves me. Despite my failings, he loves me unconditionally and has set guidelines for me to love others in the same way. So, how do I know that we are a people desperate for agape love? Because not every one is a follower of Jesus. We live in a world that tries to fill the void of love with artificial things. Although I won't fully get up on the pedestal here, I will say that I have even seen this in my own family. The members of my family who don't have a life-giving relationship with the Lord, seek after material things to find fulfillment. I see them hurting and I have the answer, but they don't want to accept it. That's when you know that you love like God loves, your heart breaks for the things that break His. When marriages are hurting and on the brink of failure, your heart hurts. When children are given more things instead of quality time, your heart hurts. When people are being held captive by a spirit of depression, your heart hurts. These are just a few things that hurt my heart. We are a generation desperate for God's passionate agape love. We need to humble ourselves enough to say that we need God. When we do, a love that you've never experienced will overflow in your life. A love that only comes from the Father. A love that covers a multitude of sin. A love that is patient and kind. A love that is not easily angered. A love that casts out all fear! A love that sacrificed, so that we could live! That's Love! That's God! That's Awesome!

Let's live out 1 Timothy 4:12b "Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity." Let's be set a part by the way we love because we follow the author of love! We experience so we can express. Look for ways to express agape love today and tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day.... :)

Until the whole world hears, 
Emily