Seeing What’s Actually in the Bible: September 21, 2025
Navigating life's toughest moments often leads us to seek comfort in familiar phrases. But what if some of those sayings we've come to rely on aren't actually found in the Bible? In a powerful sermon, Pastor Chris challenged us to look at a common misconception and rediscover where our true strength and comfort come from.
You've Heard This Before...
The sermon started by calling out a few of those well-known phrases: "God helps those who help themselves" and "Bad things happen to good people." While these might be common cultural sayings, they don't appear in the Bible. Pastor Chris's main focus, however, was on a phrase that has become a mantra for many: "God won't give you more than you can handle."
This nine-word phrase is often used to encourage someone going through a difficult time, suggesting they have the inner strength to get through it on their own. But Pastor Chris argued that this idea can be more harmful than helpful, as it misdirects our focus from God to ourselves. He pointed out that it's a quote the world uses to tell us we're unstoppable and empowered, a notion that goes against the core Christian belief that we need God's strength, not our own.
The Real Message from 1 Corinthians
Pastor Chris explained that this popular saying is a misinterpretation of a powerful passage in 1 Corinthians 10:13. The verse actually states, "He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand." The key word here is "temptation." The Bible promises that God will help us through temptation, but it doesn't say He won't allow us to experience trials or suffering that feel bigger than us. The world's version of the quote removes this critical distinction, leading us to believe we can handle life's biggest burdens without God's help.
As Pastor Chris highlighted, the Apostle Paul himself felt burdened beyond his own ability to endure, writing in 2 Corinthians 1:8, "We were crushed and overwhelmed, beyond our ability to endure." This admission from a major figure of the New Testament shows that it's normal to face suffering that is too much for us to handle on our own.
Our Suffering Has a Purpose
According to Pastor Chris, there's a reason we're meant to feel overwhelmed at times. He shared three key points:
God provides comfort in our weakness. Paul used the Greek word paracletes (related to the word for the Holy Spirit) to describe this comfort. It's not a soft ease that makes our problems disappear, but a powerful source of strength, courage, and boldness to help us endure. This comfort comes from God alone, not from the world or even our own families.
Suffering points us to Jesus. The Bible is clear that a Christian life will be full of suffering. While that might sound discouraging, it's a reminder to turn our eyes to Christ. Paul knew his suffering forced him to rely on Jesus, and he wanted to be open about this weakness. He even went so far as to boast in his weakness so the power of Christ could rest on him. Pastor Chris shared the story of hymn writer Helen Lemmel, who went blind and was abandoned by her husband, yet found the strength to write the famous hymn, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus."
The strength of a Christian comes from the Lord Almighty. The world might tell us we're strong enough on our own, but the truth is our strength comes from God. Giving our lives to Jesus means handing over control, including the "heavy lifting" of life's struggles. Pastor Chris likened this to a spiritual challenge we might not have the strength for, reminding us that we can call on Jesus, who is already in our corner, to do the work.
In a world that tells us to rely on ourselves, Pastor Chris's sermon was a powerful reminder that it's okay to admit we can't do it alone. By recognizing our weakness and turning our eyes to Jesus, we can find a comfort and strength that the world can't offer.
