Good Morning, Meetpastordan Readers…I find it amazing how many times I hear Scripture taken out of context, misquoted, or twisted in a subtle way to drive home a particular point of view. This practice, however, is certainly nothing new. This has been going on ever since the early days of Bible codification. Scripture, because of its very nature (being the inspired Word of God), has always been a target for unbelievers and skeptics. I have no doubt that sometimes this practice is intentionally used to further an evil intent, but I suspect that in the majority of cases, it is nothing more than an innocent misquotation. None-the-less, innocent misquotations can have unintended consequences.
There is one Scripture that I hear misquoted, perhaps more than any other, so I will use that as my example. The misquotation is, “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle.” I smile every time I hear that statement, then I wonder how, or if, that “scripture” has ever manifested itself in the speaker’s life since it is opposite of the original promise.
I must admit, almost every time I have heard that bogus statement, it has been an attempt to comfort someone who is facing a challenging situation. But regardless of the comforting intent, it directs the victim away from the truth and power found in1 Corinthians 10:13: “But remember that the temptations (also trials and tribulations) that come into your life are no different from what others experience. But God is faithful! He will keep the temptation (and trial or tribulation) from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not have to give in to it.”
One fault with the bogus scripture is the unspoken second part: “God doesn’t give us more than we can handle, so good luck as YOU tackle this tribulation.” This scripture is totally opposite of the power and truth of the original (which is the unintended consequence). The Truth says, “God is faithful”, and indeed He has promised us “a way out so we will not have to give in to it.” And that way out, My Friends, is not through our own effort, but by relying on the Holy Spirit to empower us to rise above our circumstances.
The bogus scripture is wrong on many levels. First, I want to dispel the notion that God “gives us”, or “puts on us” unwanted circumstances to punish us. That could not be more wrong; that is contrary to His nature. He is love; He is mercy; He is grace; He is compassion; He is forgiveness. He is the way out of the circumstance, not the author of the circumstance.
When we look at the trials and tribulations we are facing, if we are honest with ourselves, we will see they are the result of decisions we have made. This even includes sickness. Isn’t it our choice to make unhealthy lifestyle choices? Admittedly there are other second-hand consequences such as second-hand smoke, herbicides, pesticides, air pollutants, and genetic predispositions, etc., but we must be careful not to blame God for our tribulations.
Many times, God miraculously lifts us out of our pathos, but other times He uses our troubles as a time of testing and growth. James, in his opening chapter gives us these insightful, but also perplexing, words. “Brothers and Sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So, let it grow! For when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything. God blesses people who patiently endure such testing.” (James 1:2-4, 12)
In other words, when we find ourselves in the grip of temptation, trials, or tribulations, we have one of two choices. We can shake our fist at God and ask, “Why, God?” “Why are you doing this to me?” This can lead to doubt, fear, and even falling away from our faith, OR… we can press into Him as our source of strength and rely on the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth, to guide our path, and to be our comforter…just as His Word describes the role of the Holy Spirit. Our troubles, and how we handle them, can be stepping stones to spiritual growth.
This gift of the Holy Spirit is part of God’s salvation plan. As a result, it is comforting to know that our eternal destiny is secure because our sins have been forgiven and we have inherited eternal life because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. But what about those of us who are still living in this fallen world right now? We are called to live according to His standard, which is quite different from the standard to which the world subscribes…or should I say, “the standard to which the world has digressed”? Either way, we are called to rise above our trials and tribulations and make choices that bring honor and glory to God.
After the fall of Mankind to “Sin” (living separated from God) in the Garden of Eden, God allowed us to wrestle with that dilemma through our own effort until 2019 years ago. (That’s when He implemented His own plan {Jesus Christ} for our redemption, Ref. Ephesians 1:4.) Romans 5:6 is the report card on our best effort to overcome our bondage to Sin. “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.” Wow! That’s quite an indictment. And what was just the right time for God to implement His plan? It was when we proved ourselves to be “utterly helpless” to overcome Sin through our own best effort. No doubt God was convinced of our helplessness; that’s why He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is an intentional gift so we can make choices that honor Him, but this is also how we become the person He created us to be…right here, right now, in this fallen world, in these carnal bodies, and against a formidable adversary, satan.
Make no mistake, God knows what this world is like; He saw what it did to His Son. He also knows that we’re weak when it comes to honoring Him through our choices, because our track proved us to be “utterly helpless.” But as proclaimed in the Scripture, “God is faithful!” When we accepted His Gift of Grace (Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior), God included a gift designed to bring us victory in the midst of this fallen world, whether facing temptations or trials and tribulations. His promise to us is, “When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not have to give in to it.” This is the power of this message, and this is also what is lacking in the counterfeit version. The “way out” promised in the Scripture is the indwelling Holy Spirit, empowering us to do what we proved ourselves incapable of doing.
Jesus was upfront about the challenges of being a Christ-follower. He said, “In this world you will have trouble. But fear not! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Since we are in Christ, we have inherited everything He did on the cross.” Since He was/is victorious over the world and the devil, so are we! That victory comes through relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to work through us.
“And how do we do that?” you might ask. The answer is for us to call Him into action. If our intention is to bring honor and glory to God through our choices, OR to become the person He created us to be, we can say: “Holy Spirit, give me your wisdom, courage, power, strength, patience, perseverance, eyes to see, ears to hear”…whatever it is we need, and His Word tells us He will honor our request. James 4:10 substantiates that truth: “When you come humbly before the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, He will lift you up and give you honor.” Every time we call on the Holy Spirit to “empower us”, we are bringing that Scripture to life.
Nothing brings more pleasure to God than our obedience to, and our growth in, His Truth. The Holy Spirit is a gift to be used for our victory as we mature in our relationship with Jesus. Romans 12:2 speaks to this process: “Do no be conformed to the customs of this world, but be transformed (through the Holy Spirit) by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good, and pleasing and perfect His will really is.” How’s that for a formidable promise?
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May God Bless you abundantly…
Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
Dan, As I was reading it occurred to me that our trials and tribulations began in the Garden of Eden. We have All been born with sin nature because of Eve’s disobedience which she shared with Adam . Throughout the entire Old Testament men tried to please God, made their own rules, disobeyed what God said and repeated the cycle over and over again. God wanted so badly to restore His people to the fellowship with Him for which they were created that He sent Jesus to the earth. It was my sins and your sins that nailed Jesus to the cross. We held the hammer. When I realize the power of this truth and the powet of Almighty God to forgive me I am overwhelmed. It brings me to tears.
Kerp writing…it’s a joy to read the blog each week.
Thank you, Susan