Session 20

Where to turn when life is more than you can bear

From 1 Corinthians: A 35-Day Devotional

Ever heard the saying "God won't put more on you than you can handle"? If you’ve been in a situation where someone told you this, you know it’s far from the truth.

The truth is God never promises not to put more on us than we can handle; He promises to guide us through whatever we face.

We live in a broken and sin-filled world, just like the church in Corinth and God’s people who came before them. While our circumstances might look different, we face the same temptations because we share the same enemy.

Satan wants us to question God’s goodness and doubt God’s ability. Sometimes, it doesn’t take much —  a bad grade on a test, a botched assignment at work, or an unruly child — to make us wonder if God’s forgotten us. Other times, we manage to stay faithful until the money runs out, the cancer comes back, or a child goes missing.

Like the Christians who came before us, we all face moments when our circumstances can either push us closer to God or we can choose to walk away. Satan’s goal is to get us to walk away.

Let the truth of God’s Word, not your circumstances, define your decisions today.

When Paul reminds the church that their temptations are common to man, it’s a reminder that what we face can be overcome (1 Corinthians 10:13). The stories of those who’ve come before us are more than bedtime stories and history lessons. They are warnings about how Satan encourages our sin nature so we won’t give in (1 Corinthians 10:11).  

Trusting in the Lord, we can overcome and press through anything. Don’t let Satan tell you differently with his lies and manipulations. You are free, forgiven, and forever in God’s love. So let the truth of God’s Word, not your circumstances, define your decisions today.

Reflect:

• Do you feel overwhelmed with more than you can handle? What are some of the circumstances weighing you down?
• When are you most likely to question God’s goodness? Is there a certain situation or group of friends that makes you feel like God has forgotten you?
• What’s one step you can take to remember God’s goodness in those moments?