Believable Lies: God Won’t Give Me More Than I Can Handle

Welcome back to the podcast! We’ve all heard them. Little phrases that sound wise, comforting, or even spiritual—but they’re not true. In this series, we’ll uncover some of the most common believable lies people buy into about God, life, and faith.

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Believable Lie #3: God Won’t Give Me More Than I Can Handle

It sounds comforting to say “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” but it’s not true. In fact, the Bible teaches the opposite. Paul admitted he was “crushed and overwhelmed beyond his ability to endure” (2 Corinthians 1:8). Why? Because God never intended us to handle life on our own. He allows more than we can bear so that we’ll finally lean on Him. The promise isn’t that we’ll never be overwhelmed—the promise is that we’ll never be abandoned.

The Misunderstood Verse

This lie comes from a misreading of 1 Corinthians 10:13. The verse isn’t about suffering—it’s about temptation. God promises He won’t let temptation be more than we can bear, and He always provides a “way out.” But suffering is different. Sometimes we really do face more than we can handle.

The Truth About Temptation

Temptations are real but not irresistible. Israel’s history proves this: some fell, others stood firm—not because temptation was weaker but because God was stronger. Endurance is possible, not by willpower but by God’s faithfulness (Hebrews 2:18, James 1:12, 2 Thessalonians 3:3). God’s “way out” can be changing your environment, fighting back with Scripture, or reaching out to others for help.

The Truth About Suffering

Unlike temptation, suffering may indeed overwhelm us. Paul admitted he faced trials he couldn’t endure on his own (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). Yet suffering teaches us to rely on God, not ourselves. It drives us into the arms of Jesus and into the comfort of His people. God comforts us so that we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4).

The Big Picture

God may give us more than we can handle, but He will never give us more than He can handle. Trials push us to depend on Christ, to lean on our church family, and to prepare the next generation to do the same. Suffering will come. But Christ is enough.