Enduring Trials

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 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 endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

There is a saying you may have heard. “God will never give you more than you can bear.” There is some truth to this statement, and it does come from the Bible, yet we seldom read the entire verse.

It comes from 1 Corinthians 10:13. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 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 endure it.”

We will have trials in this life, but God will provide us a way to endure them. As a sexual abuse and assault survivor I feel I have already withstood my share of trials, and I don’t like the fact I’m still facing more on my journey to recovery.

I can imagine you feel the same way. Why is life full of hardships? Why do we seem to have to go through pain to reach anything good? Is there good at the end? Yes, if Heaven is the end there is good; more like magnificent.

Trials build our character and who we become in this life. God uses them to mold us into the people He wants us to become in Him. However, it is of little comfort when you are in the middle of them.

Right now, in the heart of recovery, I am tired of suffering. My focus always goes toward the negative. What I am losing, forfeiting, and of course the grief of the childhood I already lost.

I feel I am losing my adulthood to my sexual abuse and assaults as I recover because of the time it is taking to work through the trauma. When will it end? Yet, God gently reminded me through my therapist showing me these verses I am focusing on the wrong thing.

It is not about the why, when, or how come, but the fact that when we feel we are drowning in our trials God “will also provide a way out so that we can endure it.” (1 Corinthians 13:10b) Yes, God will never give us more than we can handle, because He is going to equip us to persevere through it.

I have to say when my therapist shared this with me I wanted to hit Him over the head. Seriously. Laugh if you want to. It’s kind of funny. He would laugh if I told him!  There are just times when he is right and it frustrates me to no end, and after 8 years in therapy with him I want to say, “Do you have a scripture to prove your point on everything?”

I’m sure he would just smile his knowing smile and say, “It’s all going to be okay.”

I was frustrated as I drove home from my appointment thinking about it. Really? God won’t give me more than I can bear because He will give me the tools to get through whatever it is. As I pondered this, God slowly worked on my heart. I stress slowly.

I am not there yet. I don’t know about you, but I would rather not have any trials, and not get anything I can’t handle. However, I know in my heart of hearts God will refine me through this recovery journey and through the next trial. It is how I will become the woman He wants me to be in Him.

He promises.

Father God,

I am really trying to understand You will walk me through and give me the necessary strength and help to get through this journey and any other trials which come my way. Please help me to continue to turn to You and seek Your face each day as I become the person You created me to be.

Amen

© 2018 Susan M. Clabaugh. All Rights Reserved.