. . . And Another Thing

Last week, I addressed the fact that Scripture doesn't tell us we will be exempt from overwhelming burdens and problems.  We are told YHWH will make a way for us.  This week, I have to address the original term in that "G-d won't give us more than we can handle."  Who says G-d is doling out burdens in the first place?  Granted, G-d does test His people from time to time, and although I don't give him much mention, there is an adversary.

Honestly, I hear about a lot more attacks of the enemy than I really think exist, but that's a topic for yet another article.  Much of what we deal with in the way of burdens or "not more than we can handle" appears to be what we try to handle ourselves, what we don't turn over to our Heavenly Father, or the residual consequences of sin, as in judgment.  Yielding to temptation seems to produce most of the situations referred to as "G-d won't give us more than we can handle."  He didn't send the temptation, to begin with.

I know I'm sounding all preachy today, but this is serious.  Our Heavenly Father deserves more glory than He gets in our martyred whining.  I'm speaking for myself, here, as I think of the things that seemed an overwhelming burden.  In looking back, there have been a few tests by G-d, only one attack of the adversary that I remember, but there have been temptations and much yielding before I began to follow Messiah, and some since.

Not that any of us are as globally significant as Abraham, but how many of us became parents outside of G-d's perfect plan?  Then we want G-d to fix the mess we made . . .  That is not a case of "G-d not giving us more than we can handle," That's a case of G-d, since there are no do-overs, will you please fix the mess I made, and heal the damage I caused, because now I see how smart I wasn't . . .

Let's talk about our health for a moment.  Everybody prays in a health crisis, and talks about how G-d has entrusted them with some special burden, because . . . I know this from my own life, and from watching many situations through the years.  Yes, accidents and injuries do happen, but often we are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time . . . by our own choosing.  Then there's the whole diet issue when it comes to health.  Exodus 15:26 is pretty clear as to how to avoid disease.

Although I do know our Heavenly Father does allow obstacles, and there are tests.  According to Scripture, He has already mapped out and provided the escape plan.  Follow Messiah right through.  There will be persecution, but nothing worse than Messiah faced, and persecution is not usually what is referenced when people speak of "G-d not giving more than we can handle."   We, in America, have barely had a taste of persecution.  Social media unfriending is not martyrdom!

As I consider the things in my life that are burdens, "more than I can handle," I've discovered a good many of them are simply the natural consequences of unG-dly choices that I keep trying to fix.