Cedric Fisher: "earnestly contending for the faith."

How Much Can We Stand?

In an effort to encourage someone I often hear people quote from a scripture, “Well, He won’t put more on you than you can stand.” That is actually a partial scripture taken out of context. Here is the full context.

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” – 1 Corinthians 10:13

The word “bear” in the above passage is the Greek word, “hypopherō,” which means; “to bear up under patiently and endure.”

The passage has nothing to do with affliction or another harsh trial, but with temptation that has the potential to overwhelms us and cause us to sin. It is actually referring to the fact that our flesh, Satan, and the world system, can overwhelm us with temptation except for the “way of escape.” That “way” often includes prayer, sometimes fasting, surrendering or yielding up something in our lives, et cetera. The reason is because the “way” of escape is often through a difficult trial. There are no verses that declare God will not allow us to be overwhelmed beyond what we can endure in a trial.

To believe that God will prevent a harsh trial to become more than we can stand is unbiblical and inconsistent with the history of Christianity, including the past and present history of martyrdom. In order to understand more clearly we should consider the examples of suffering in the Bible.

Consider the prophets Jeremiah and Elijah. Jeremiah was neck-deep in a filthy muddy dungeon. Elijah was so overwhelmed with depression that he despaired of life. Consider Job, and the Apostle Paul. Read Hebrews 11 about the suffering of individuals that were considered great examples of faith.

I can testify that in my own life I have been in extremely difficult trials that were more than I could bear up under and endure. I can remember that at least twice I despaired of life. To be clear, I genuinely wished to die and be free from the torment. In those and numerous other situations I was under a very harsh trial that I could not do anything about or endure by my own resources and abilities.

It was during those times that I learned the meaning of what God said to the Apostle Paul when he beseeched God for deliverance from his burdensome affliction.

“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9

In other words, we may reach the point—and if we are truly committed we will likely do so—to the point that our burden or affliction may be more than we can bear. Remember the old song,

“I must tell Jesus, I cannot bear these burdens alone.” (Songwriters: Composer & Author Trad / Travis Cottrell / Public Domain Unidentified.)

The author(s) obviously experienced the reality of a trial or trials that were beyond their means to endure. We must accept that truth lest we try to solve or exit a trial by our own resources, which can be devastating. Numerous individuals decided during a heavy trial that they had sinned and God was punishing them. Other ones have believed that their faith in God was a myth and became atheists. Even more individuals have dialed back their commitment to God and ran to the hirelings and heretics for relief from the fully surrendered life. Their foray into religious liberalism brought them under deception that many of them never recovered from.

The decision while under a harsh trial that God is unfair is a failure to understand the nature of a trial and the priceless benefit at its end.

The nature of a trial is to take us out of our comfort zones and into something beyond our ability to overcome. It circumvents the human nature to control our situations and associations in a way that provides the most comfort for us. We do not grow spiritually in those fleshly stimulating and comfy situations because the volume of our trust is in ourselves and the temporal realm. The trial purges our faith of dross and makes it as pure gold (1 Peter 1:6-9). However, we will experience that purging without reaching the desperation of helplessness. We will never reach out to God in the depth and purity of sincerity and hope as we will when under a trial that we cannot endure and overcome by our own strength and will power.

When you’ve been to the bank and they turned you down for a loan. When you went to the doctor and he or she declares that there is no cure. When you are attacked so unfairly and viciously that you are certain to lose your job, position, or may have lost it. When your children are suffering and there is no human power that can deliver them. When a loved one is suddenly taken away and your soul is in the deepest despair.

When you feel utterly worthless, faithless, and when your praying feels weak and insincere, when your spirit feels dry and shriveled, and the burdens of life are so crushing that you are so broken that you are certain that no one or no thing can put the pieces back together—then you are in a place where God can shower your valley with heavenly rain and makes its flowers of hope and joy to bloom. Please do not misunderstand—it does not mean that He caused the trial. But He is certainly the source of the indescribable blessing at the end!

The priceless benefit of such a trial is the burning away of dross that we did not know we had collected. That dross is mingle with our faith, corrupts and compromises its integrity. Praying before the trial can become formal and rote. Praying after the trial will be effectual and fervent. None of those benefits are possible until we concede during our “dark night of the soul” that we cannot endure and overcome the trial by our own devices, and consequently yield ourselves completely to God’s great love and grace.

A further benefit is that we learn things about God and understand His word deeper during a trial. Those blessed lessons can be written about and people may parrot what they hear or read as if they possess them without having gone through the fire that brought them forth. However, they cannot be applied in fullness from without—they must be birthed and applied from within.

The reason for trials is because in this temporal realm we are influenced by the flesh, Satan, and the world system. It is not just by temptation that we are lulled into a mechanical or habitual relationship with God. Our self-built comfort zones will lure us into taking His blessings and provisions, and even His presence, for granted. Instead of our hearts being fully set on Him, we may begin to dabble and focus on the offerings of the world system. Distractions and attractions will lure us into doldrums where Satan’s offerings appear to be more palatable than God’s presence and benefits.

Therefore, the way of escape that God makes for those temptations that are near unbearable and that threaten to overwhelm us is into an overwhelming fiery trial of our faith. Satan’s fiery darts have reached their mark and we are in jeopardy of compromise. The subsequent fiery trial is a controlled burn by God—not to destroy us, but to counter Satan’s fiery darts. It is to purge and cleanse us from the dregs of earthy, sensual, and demonic influences (James 3:13-18). Therefore, the way of escape is to reset our mind on things above where our view of the world system reveals it as it truly is, and not as Satan and the flesh would describe and convince us that it is (Colossians 3:1-17). God knows when our godliness is becoming mere form and seeks to restore the substance (2 Timothy 3:5).

When we long for entertainment more than time with God, for music of the world system rather than spiritual songs, for activities and hobbies more than being productive according to His will, and we gravitate toward “ministries” that never mention commitment, expose the works of darkness, sin, or the requirement to be faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2; Galatians 5:22; Matthew 25:21-23; Luke 16:10; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 17:14; Proverbs 22:12), we are in great danger.

Apostasy is not a vile stench to the flesh, but is only repulsive to one who is spiritual (1 Corinthians 2:15). When we become carnal and subject to the influences of the flesh, apostasy seems to be God’s path of liberty. Conversely, the restraint of godliness appears to be trivial, legalistic, or a concept of Christianity derived by ignorance. We will one day rejoice in the harsh and pressing trials that delivered us from such lies!

In conclusion, there has occurred an obvious increase of trials upon God’s Remnant in this time of great deception and apostasy. It would stand to reason that in such a time as the last days, when “because iniquity abounds the love of man will grow cold” ( Matthew 24:12), that God would purge His people deeper and more frequently. The dark storm that is coming upon us will be more severe than anything the Believers throughout history have endured. We will need a strong and purified faith to stand, overcome, and endure to the end.

Although it may seem that in our extreme anguish the harshness of our testings are unfair, we must put everything into His hands and leave it there. The we should focus our minds on the reward that awaits God’s faithful people. The Apostle Paul addressed this mindset directly in his letter to the Romans.

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” – Romans 8:16-19

Let us order our minds likewise and endure to the end. One day it will be worth whatever we suffered in this temporal realm to remain faithful to our great God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

4 Comments

  1. Cheryl

    What a beautiful article. This will minister to so many who are going through the battle. God is our comfort and strength even during trials that appear to be impossible and feel completely overwhelming.
    What a Faithful Father He is!

  2. ken

    Great commentary , C.H.. What you say here is Biblical and true. We MUST double down on our daily, even hourly, walk with Jesus. I have despaired of life several times also, just wanting the Lord to take me home. You encouragement and admonishment is needed by me. Your articles make me think and I pray more and understand what we are up against more clearly because of what you and Cheryl do for the Remnant. Praise God for and Truthkeepers.com and your other efforts on Facebook.

  3. Linda

    Well, this one hit the target again!

    At least it is good to know that it’s not just me.
    Once or twice…! I have been despairing of my life for a long time and years at a time each time. There was one spell earlier, about 6 years ago, but that passed and things were well again. But about 3 years ago it started again and hasn’t let up much at all since then. Just one trial after the other of every variety, like a tennis ball machine on high speed. It truly has been discouraging. I don’t feel tempted at all though. And take my word for it, temptations are popping up all over the landscape like a field full of wildflowers. Do this! Try that! Take this! The devil is working on overtime these last days to get folks to fall into sin. And you hear about how so many have and are now ruined. Only none of these things tempt me in the least, nor did they when life was absolutely fabulous. But this constant hardship thing is truly rough. That’s what beats you down. It has come to the point that one must wonder if one is the target of judgment. But at the same time I feel spiritually blessed and all, and have confirmation that it’s not that. But the spiritual blessings are the only relief I have. It gets so frustrating that you do feel like crying out to God “why must I endure all of these never ending tormenting trials!” and once you think you are out of the woods on one, another comes around the corner! It feels like Job, after he has endured it all and the devil comes around with that one last feather of wind to push him over the edge “just curse God and die!” And sadly, many do. This is the one thing I can never do though. There is a Bible verse:
    “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.” Interestingly I just googled for it to see where it was, and of all places it is Job 13; 15!
    It feels like a hurricane of beatings are unleashed on me at times, even on the sunny days. It’s always in the background. It feels like living on a limb that is held up by a hundred strings, and if any one of them snaps, the whole house will fall to the ground with me in it and I will be homeless, with nowhere to turn. Oh, it is so easy to pass the blame and just say “well, but why can’t you just…”. And the answer is “because…..!” Or people assuming I must have done ‘something wrong’ and it is either an error in life or punishment or something. And they are not me so they don’t know all these answers. Only they pass the blame anyway. But as it says in James, they all turn a blind eye and go to their comfy home on a hill. “It must be her fault!” But it’s not. Sure, God will come through but it’s the ongoing situation that wears you down. It’s starting to take a toll on my heart. Years ago despairing of my life already I prayed; “Lord, just end it all and take me home! Let some terrorist come into church and I can happily die a martyr!” It’s living by faith daily that is killing me! And that is just one of the trials. Don’t make me go down that list now. But that hurricane of beatings lashes out and all I can do is lay there and surrender to it all. I can’t fight it, I can’t make it go away. I just must bear up under its brunt. Getting mad won’t help either. I could never get mad at the Lord or ‘curse God and die’ because I love Him. As much as anyone can (at least that is how I feel), and on top of that, He truly is all I have (yes, which is everything). So all I can do is wait and endure the trials. And there is that parting of the clouds when peeks of heaven leak out and I see the glory that will be ours, and can only come by enduring fiery trials. It invades my soul as a taste of things to come. It is the path of the cross before us, and that alone, that leads to the glory that identifies us with Christ! And for now, like Him, we can relate to those who are suffering. Overall, we are being conformed into His image. Sometimes it feels so good, and sometimes it truly hurts.

    And… I have started noticing something new happening inside, like when a new leaf sprouts or a new section of a rose is unveiled and I see where it is leading and it is beautiful! More on that later though…
    ; )
    Everything you said is so true and I can relate to it all but it would take too long to expound on all of that. Thank you for the post!
    God bless you!

  4. Rista

    Tnx for another blessed article CH. May God bless you for being so faithful, I’m sure your articles mean as much to many others a they do to me.

    Blessings and regards

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