“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13)
One of my guilty pleasures is Youtubing misheard lyrics – they always put a smile on my face. :) Why am I thinking about that today? In the last couple of days, I have seen a few people post the phrase, “This too shall pass.” And although I am in complete agreement and can confidently echo: “This too shall pass,” I have noticed that some are quoting this as Scripture. I have searched high and low for this passage and have yet to find it. (If you can, please let me know.) In light of this, I would like to take a journey over the next couple of days looking at sayings wrongly attributed to the Bible. This is not about judgment, as I know I can also point my finger at myself for misusing some of these. Let’s learn together. And maybe even laugh at ourselves for confusing old adages with Scriptures – because Jesus forgives you (and me)!
“God will never give you more than you can handle.” (author unknown)
This may be the most quoted “verse” in my experience. I heard this often when I became a Christian (1999). I know this is used to bring encouragement to others, to let them know they will get through whatever difficult times they are facing. I agree it can be a source of encouragement to hear someone say “this too shall pass.” And to hear that because Scripture supposedly says God will not give you more than you can endure, you can move forward in faith. Here is the thing: It’s just not true. If anyone is like me – and if you are, you better be praying hard now :) – then you know life continually throws things your way that you cannot handle.
Let me list some of mine:
1) Marriage: if you say you can totally handle being the husband you should be, then you are a better man than I am. If you say you have a sense of love and adoration for your wife every minute of every day, you live in a delusional world (send me a ticket there, please). Being a husband is more than I can handle.
2) Parenting: being a father is one of the (if not, the) greatest joys of my life – but, it’s been hard. I have failed as a father at times, and the pain that comes with that is unbearable. I have two of the greatest children of all time, yet we have disappointed each other over the years. God gave me two children and called me to parenting – and it is more than I can handle.
3) Death: I lost my mother to cancer. I couldn't handle it. Deep depression followed. I learned I could not handle death.
4) Ministry: I got called to ministry while I was enjoying a successful corporate career (<<< my pride said I, at least, could handle this). I pastored a small country church part-time. I couldn't handle it. Then I left my career to pastor semi–full-time. Guess what, I couldn't handle that either. Now I am pastoring full-time at the Stone Church, and lo and behold, I cannot handle this either.
5) COVID-19: self-isolation, cancelling all my meetings, not being able to stay in physical contact with the congregation, and having a cough that my family avoids (you don't know how much you miss hugs until you cannot hug). Yep, you guessed it – I can’t handle this either.
6) Sports: I thought I would not be able to handle no sports entertainment, but I was (almost) wrong. I have discovered that I can handle no hockey, basketball, soccer, or Olympics – on TV or live-stream – but baseball? (SIGH!) I am having a hard time handling no baseball.
You say, “Pastor, where is your faith?” And it is this question that continues to life-smack us in the face with things we cannot handle. But this is where my faith kicks in! This is where I turn to Philippians 4:13 for encouragement – because it is HE who strengthens me. I am a pretty good husband only because of HIM. I am a pretty good dad only because of HIM. I got through my depression because of HIM. I can do any ministry He calls me to because of HIM. I will get through self-isolation and no baseball because HE is with me. No one, not one person can go it alone. Everyone gets more than they can handle – but, NOTHING is too big for God to handle. Give it to him instead of doing it alone.
“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.” (2 Cor. 12:9)
