I will be visiting my Ohio family for Thanksgiving this year. While I’m away, I’ll be sharing some older blog posts about music…long before there was March Musical Musings or Monday Musical Musings I wrote about music. So enjoy these pieces and I’ll see you on December 2! Just in time for some Christmas posts!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

Through It All

Life has a way of turning sour. Illness creeps in. Financial burdens mount. Hopelessness overwhelms. Turmoil swirls. Death invades. Heartache envelopes.

Life has been tough for so many these past few years. I’ve been searching for work nearly 2 ½ years myself. It hasn’t been easy.

I’m so blessed to have a husband with a wonderful, secure job. It’s allowed me to work on my writing and bless others by volunteering my time more than I ever could if were working. Of course, I’ve continued to search for that elusive job…but to date, still have found nothing.

I know you’ve heard this phrase before. “God will not give you more than you can handle.” It’s the catch-all phrase folks love to use for whatever situation they find themselves in. They’ll share this if they encounter someone with a burden or hardship. Perhaps for someone going through the grief process. Or even in searching for a job.

But I’d like to share a passage from 2 Corinthians that contradicts this phrase. I believe this passage points us in the direction God would have us go and it gives us a better understanding of how we should deal with any struggle.

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-11 – NIV)

Did you catch it? Paul said that what he had encountered was far beyond his ability to endure. Doesn’t sound like the phrase above, does it?

But the great part of this passage is that Paul learned a great lesson through it all. That he was to depend upon God, not himself. It is a lesson that we need to learn as well.

And Paul would never underestimate the power of prayer from his group of prayer warriors. When their prayers were answered, praise could be given to God for His gracious favor. What a great example for us to follow.

Perhaps the phrase, “God will not give you more than you can handle” comes from the passage of Scripture about temptation.

We find this passage in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Corinthians 10:11 – NIV)

There it is…“beyond what you can bear.” And if you’ll notice, God shows up in this area of our lives too. He is willing to help us as we are dependent upon Him instead of ourselves.

Perhaps this is a hard lesson for us to learn because some of you reading this blog have been through some horrible experiences. Some are dealing with pain as you read this and wonder how you’ll ever survive it. It really is beyond what you are able to handle.

God is your answer.

I’m not writing this to discourage you. I’m sharing this important message to encourage you. Encourage you to run to Jesus and let Him take it. All of it.

God’s grace is all-sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).

We find strength in Jesus when we are weak (2 Corinthians 12:10).

In the midst of my situation, I’ve learned to lean upon God more. I’ve learned to be less dependent upon myself. I’ve learned to run to God with my troubles. It’s been a rewarding 2 ½ years and I’ve grown spiritually because of my experience.

I’m reminded of an old song from the 70’s, “Through It All.”[i] Maybe you’ll find some comfort in knowing that you’re not alone through it all. God is beside you.

I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
there’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.

I’ve been to lots of places,
I’ve seen a lot of faces,
there’s been times I felt so all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus lets me know that I was His own.

I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I’d never had a problem,
I wouldn’t know God could solve them,
I’d never know what faith in God could do.

Chorus:
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

Perhaps it’s time for you to come to the same conclusion.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

[i] Through it All, Words and Music by Andrae Crouch, copyright 1971, Manna Music, Inc.