Two weeks ago, while vacationing in the Florida Keys, I read Kisses from Katie, a memoir written by a woman who, when she graduated from high school, moved to Uganda, launched an education and hunger mission and adopted 14 orphan girls – all before she turned twenty.
That’s right, I read Kisses from Katie while lolling on the beach, eating Key Lime Pie and sipping margaritas. The gross irony was not lost on me.
Anyway, Katie made a number of hugely compelling statements in that book, including this:
“I believe that God totally, absolutely intentionally gives us more than we can handle. Because this is how we surrender to Him and He takes over, proving Himself by doing the impossible in our lives.”
Truthfully, I’ve always bought into the adage, “God never gives you more than you can handle.” But now, I’m beginning to wonder if Katie Davis is right.
With only a single cover-to-cover read-through of the Bible under my belt, I can tell you this with certainty: the Bible is radical. Jesus is super radical. And he expects us to be radical, too. Not necessarily move-to-Uganda-and-adopt-14-orphans radical. But radical nonetheless. There’s simply no getting around it. You can’t read the Bible without feeling compelled to do something for the least of these. And if you can, I say you need to go back and read it again.
I’ve been feeling something lately, a movement underfoot, a sense that God wants me to do something big. As Brad said, when I mentioned I’d been feeling a Holy Spirit push, “That’s a little scary.” I agree. It is scary. Because frankly, I don’t want the Holy Spirit to ask me to do something that makes me uncomfortable. I don’t want the Holy Spirit to give me more than I can handle. Sometimes just getting my people off to school with their backpacks and lunch bags and their shoes tied feels like more than I can handle. But I suspect the Holy Spirit has something bigger in mind.
I already wrote about the story in Luke 5 a couple of weeks ago, and it just so happens that we read that very story yesterday in church, which meant I had to write about it again for this post. I wasn’t sure I’d have anything else to say. But I was wrong. It seems that story – especially the part about Simon Peter, James and John dropping their nets, pulling their boats onto the beach and following Jesus – reminds me of Katie Davis, which reminds me that Holy Spirit has something big for me to do.
Leaving their entire livelihood to follow Jesus seems beyond what an ordinary person could handle. But that’s exactly what the ordinary disciples did. And it’s what ordinary Katie Davis did, too. I’m sure they were afraid. I’m sure they wondered if they were making the right decision. I’m sure they felt like the whole thing was a bit much. But they did it anyway.
I don’t know what my “something big” is yet. Honestly, I’ve been avoiding asking God about it. But I have a feeling he’s going to tell me anyway. And along with it, he has this to say:
“There is nothing to fear.” (Luke 5:10) So for now, I’m clinging to that.
Do you believe, like Katie Davis states, that God intentionally gives us more than we can handle? How does that make you feel?
Joining with Ann Voskamp for Her Walk with Him Wednesday series. She’s writing about Radical: Right Where You Are (and she wrote about Katie Davis and Kisses for Katie, too — how ’bout that?!)
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Michelle, this is a book I have been wanting to read. And you have brought it to my attention again. I think that says something.
I sure hope Katie’s observation that God gives us more than we can handle is true because I feel that way so often! But more than that, it makes sense in Biblical principles that He would do that so that we can depend on Him . He wants all of us. If we could handle any facet of life without Him, would we really be joined completely to Him?
This gives me HOPE!
Janis
I highly recommend the book, Janis!
Michelle – I have been feeling that same, “God push” too. Seeing little bits and pieces of it now, but a little fearfully excited to get the full picture. So agree that God wants us fully, utterly completely, radically abandoned to Him. That we may leave “our catch” and answer the call to follow Him.
I absolutely do believe it…and it makes me feel secure and gives me the freedom to say, “I can’t do this (whatever this is), but I serve the God that can this through me.
BTW – where in the Keys did you stay?
We were on Big Pine Key — so beautiful!
I am right there with you sister! Even though it seems like he gives us more than we can handle, by his power and grace we get through, so in a sense both statements are correct. He does give us more than we can handle and he doesn’t.
We were on similar tracks today.
Although I always believed that statement that God never gives us more than we can handle, I have come to kind of believe the opposite. If God only gave us what we could handle, why would we need him? We would be totally self-sufficient. I do believe that sometimes he allows overwhelming circumstances so that we learn to depend on Him.
Every day he gives me is more than I can handle on my own. So thankful for his presence. His gifts of grace. Praying for you as you wait for him to reveal your “big thing.” I look forward to hearing what’s next for you.
i think the more-than-we-can-handle is about temptation, not circumstances, so , yeah, i think he does want us overwhelmed at times. so we will depend on him and come into a deeper, more radical relationship with him. that book has come to my attention several times. officially adding it to my going-to-read-it-soon list.
Hello Michelle! I’m here for the first time via ‘Jumping Tandem’.
I believe God gives us more than we THINK we can handle. He know what we can handle but He wants us to know it as well. By putting us in situations that tax us God is calling is to develop those spiritual muscles we need to go to the next level in our lives. Looking forward to seeing what the next level God is calling you manifests.
~ Cassandra from Renaissance Women
Hi Cassandra, welcome! I like the way you put that: that God is calling us to develop our spiritual muscles to grow us and trans form us.
I am not sure if He gives us too much, not too much or just the right amount that we need. lately I have been dropping the measuring device and just trying to live faithfully.
Now this urge you have been feeling, that intrigues me. I too have struggled with that feeling and now looking back it has been several years of listening, impatiently for the magic door to open with the answer. BUT I do know God is working in my life and I am trying to be obedient and listen.
Lets pray for each other in this discernment, Michelle.
I am praying for you in this, Jean – I’m glad to have a fellow traveler and friend on the journey!
Oh yes – Kisses from Katie. That book made me go straight to Compassion’s site and start sponsoring a child in Uganda. Katie is a jaw-dropping inspiration, isn’t she? And I did learn so much from her – especially that God gives us more than we can handle. She really opened my eyes to what challenges mean, and how we should not shrink from them.
I love that you acted on the nudge of the Holy Spirit – that’s awesome, Courtney! I have done nothing in response yet…but my husband and I have talked about sponsoring one of Katie’s kids through her Amazina organization, so I think that’s going to happen in 2013.
I agree with Lisa — every day He gives me more than I can handle! And I’m thankful for that because it throws me back on Him. So many, many times I act on my own, thinking, “I’ve got this.” No. He’s got this.
That feeling? That He has something big for you? It’s frightening but wonderful, all at the same time. Love it!
Michelle, the Holy Spirit actually, truly never gives us more than we can handle – that’s not just a saying; it’s a Scriptural truth. However, we, as Christians, can get overwhelmed if we allow ourselves to. When we allow the Holy Spirit to guide all our decisions, we will never, ever be overwhelmed. We will be perfectly positioned exactly where God wants us. Sometimes that will look to the world like we aren’t doing anything. Sometimes we’ll appear ultra-busy & altruistic & awesome to the world. But we will only be successful, peaceful & not overwhelmed if we follow the Spirit’s lead. To pray to be overwhelmed is just….weird to me. We must guard ourselves at all time about false humility, a humility that begs to be looked at & admired. If we can do these things, we’ll never be overwhelmed:)
I appreciate your thoughts on this, Leigh.
Oh that book…and I have had the privilege of hearing her speak when she was home….such humity and love exuded from her….I do think He gives us more than our flesh can handle…and His grace is suffienct. But I do think we add to this by grabbing more than He gives…out of fear or controll etc…and whe we add to what He allows…that is when we feel overwhelmed and start questioning if his Grace is truly suffienct . Learning to live in the moment…not fearing the future…questioning the past…through Christ we can “handle”the more than we can handle times in life. Blessing to you.
Also remember that Jesus says His burden is easy & light:) When waiting on the Holy Spirit to reveal His plan to you, remember that He is a gentleman – He will not “take you over” to do something radical for God. And the big thing might be the most private of things – a solitary time spent quietly interceding for a friend or situation or nation. It might be a big, public mission. Or it might be handing out money to strangers, in secret, over & over & over. Whatever it is, the Lord will provide you all you need to accomplish His task in a peaceful, joyful manner:)
I agree that “big” doesn’t necessarily mean public or dramatic. Like you said, it can be something done privately. Something that perhaps takes me out of my comfortable zone and stretches me a bit, so that I depend on Him to see me through. I had such an opportunity yesterday, in fact. Something I dreaded doing a little bit, something I was afraid and did anyway, and it was good.
that book wrecked me in such a good way. i will never be the same because of katie. love you friend.
You are right to question the notion that God never gives us more than we can handle. Of course He does! That is what growth feels like!
I’ve come to understand that the saying “God never gives you more than you can handle” isn’t scriptural. It’s sort of a twist on Corinthians 10:13: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” I’ll be praying for you, Michelle, regarding your something big.
Yes, Brandee — I read that exact verse from Corinthians at the same time I was reading Kisses from Katie, and I was like, ‘Huh?” But the more I read it and mulled over it, the more I saw that it wasn’t exactly, “God never gives you more than you can handle,” but a subtle variation on that – and the variation makes all the difference in how I interpret those verses.
Beautiful, scary post today, Michelle! I feel my knees knocking a little bit these days too. I can look back and see the ways that He has moved when things were more than I could handle in the past…but I still get nervous when I feel that He is asking that of me once again. Here’s to Him increasing our faith through the journey!
As the years pass, I’m realizing more and more that it is all beyond our strength and we owe any strength we do have to Him. Each breath is more than we can drum up on our own…it all comes from His Grace and anything good that we do is from Him.
I really like how you put that, Connie. Love you.
Oh, I believe it. I wrote about it here: http://bit.ly/WARtQw
I find this terrifying but also – in my better moments – a huge relief. Knowing that I cannot possibly do it, I can hand it over. There is such freedom in his love.
I read about your move, Christie – what an amazing story!
“Honestly, I’ve been avoiding asking God about it. ”
Yup. A good friend suggested that my word for this year might be “leap of faith” and, yikes, I’m a more than a little uncomfortable at the idea. But I love the way God pursues us and brings us around to the place where what might have seemed impossible just a few weeks before is somehow, if not possible, then at least considerable.
I feel that life gives us more than we can handle and God supplies the lack. This is something I wrote about a bit back, where jesus says in the beatitudes that we’re blessed when we’re at the end of our ropes. It’s both, there is an end to us and life does often surpass that in its demands, BUT the end of us isn’t the end of everything, just the beginning of the One who is With us in everything.
Thankyou for your knack at inspiring conversation here.
Hey, Michelle. To be brutally honest, I really dislike that saying (in my house that is the strongest statement we can make since we don’t use the word “hate” :)). It has been misconstrued and misquoted. It is not Biblical. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that. Nowhere. As others have pointed out, it is a misconstruction of the verse in Corinthians about temptation that has really nothing to do with trials and situations in our life. It has only to do with temptation. What Paul means in Corinthians is that God will always, no matter what the temptation is, give us a way out of it. James reminds us in his first chapter that temptations don’t come from God. The Greek word used for “temptation” implies enticing to sin and it is against God’s nature to entice his children to sin. So, He will never allow us to be tempted without giving us plenty of ways out of that temptation. The most important one: the blood of his Son already shed so we have power over sin. Anyway, off my theological horse. The Bible is actually more clear that, like Katie says, God WILL give us more than we can handle ourselves or we would not need to depend on him for our strength. That’s why Paul says he can do all things THROUGH Christ. So really, in the end to say that God won’t give us more than we can handle is actually the un-biblical saying. Sorry, I know I will ruffle some feathers here but I always cringe when I hear people use that famous saying.
I appreciate your candor, Gaby – thanks for being brave and sharing your thoughts!
I guess more than quoting Scripture about the subject of trials, a firm set of Scriptural principles helps. So is there a pattern of God “testing” people by overwhelming them? Not that I’ve read. The pattern is that God directs, we listen & do obediently & Jesus says it’s easy & light. Will tribulations occur? Certainly. But they’re not from God to His overcoming, victorious children ruling & reigning here on earth. People, not our good & gracious Lord, do the overwhelming.
I understand the distinction you are making here, Leigh. On the other hand, I do think that God gives ordinary people extraordinary opportunities, even challenges. Look at Moses, or David – two ordinary men who were given what I would say were extremely challenging directives from God. Moses clearly felt unqualified for the job. Yet he stepped out in faith and God made everything possible for him. Not easy, per se, but possible.
Michelle, this might sound like an odd request … could I use your photo (giving you full credit)? I wrote the post last night where I will share that I’ve resigned from my job and am stepping into my own River Jordan and I just can’t find the right visual. And then I saw this and this, this is what I’ve been looking for. It will go live tomorrow (over 24 hours) … I won’t use it unless I hear from you :). Amy
Amy, I am so sorry I didn’t see this until now. I absolutely give you permission…I just hope it’s not too late!!!
I LOVE that quote (and Katie’s book!) God very dramatically taught me that I was buying into wrong theology after I made the “I know God never gives us more than we can handle” statement to a friend almost 9 years ago. (I blogged about it here… http://jenbh.blogspot.com/2009/07/in-other-words.html.) He continues to teach me that His goal is for us to be totally dependent on Him…and sometimes He uses overwhelming circumstances to bring us to that point! Our last “something big” has been a more fun and exciting, but still scary!, one…leaving our beloved church of 16 years and joining a tiny mission church 40 minutes away. Another thing He has taught me through it all, though, is that obedience in the “something bigs” (and the little somethings!) always brings blessing and joy. Praying for you as you follow Him through the “something big” He has for you!
Wow, Michelle, this post was overwhelmingly powerful and convicting! Yes, I do believe God through the Holy Spirit is calling us forward into our non-comfort zones. We may not want to fully embrace it at the time; we may be fearful for so many reasons, but He will find a way to reach us when there is something only we can accomplish in His name.
May the Holy Spirit speak to your heart and show you the way.
Blessings!
We took in a foster child, and my brorther-in-law same age as our children, and that was enough. God did the mentoring and I helped but can’t take all the credit. What an amazing story of a young girl who would adopt so many and share the Love of Jesus with them.
I see you’ve already been roundly reminded that the twist on the verse in Corinthians is a too-frequent misspeaking of scripture. But I think we consistently discover that we’ve got more than we can handle on our plates – we all need help with everything. I like Connie’s simple reminder that we need the Spirit of God to take a simple breath. And I’m excited to see what the Spirit is up to in your life, Michelle! It’s a good kind of scary, I think. And the scared feeling is often – for me, at least – a pretty sure sign of the Spirit’s presence when an opportunity presents itself. If it feels scary, it’s probably where I need to go. Yikes.
So true, Diana: “If it feels scary, it’s probably where i need to go.” Isn’t that so often the truth?
Michelle, I am joining for the first time today and I wanted to say thank you for having me. Your words are so true… I do believe He’s given me more than I can handle. I went through an illness for years and remember the feeling I felt every second of every day was “I’m just not equipped.” There were so many moments when I had no idea what decision to make in the treatment plan, what to say yes to and what to say no to, whether a symptom meant I was doing worse or getting better. It was so much more than I could handle on my own, and through it all God allowed me to be brought to my knees where He met me and changed my life. I’m guilty of trying to “handle” everything again and again as God restores me, and I’m continually reminded it’s not for me to handle. Now when I feel like I’m in the center of a tornado, I know God’s telling me to be still. To find my peace in the cross and to know that He’s equipped. Thank you for these lovely words and this opportunity for community.
He tells me to be still so, so often – yet it’s a miracle when I listen.
SO glad you linked up today, Kim – I will stop by to say hello at your place and read your post.
Praying God sends you to Africa and not my version of “more than you can handle.” (I’m only half-joking.)
Not sure I want either. The thought of Africa freaks me out…but I know there are equally challenging circumstances, right here in Lincoln and in my own backyard.
I absolutely agree with Katie Davis. I’ve often thought if God didn’t give us more than we can handle on our own, why would we ever pray? It’s exciting and yes, scary, when the Holy Spirit nudges and we know something new is afoot. One thing I’ve learned, if we hang onto God’s hand, He’ll walk us through it. When it’s from Him you’ll know it and be at peace about it.
Its scary to put yourself out there with God — but somehow, He always provides.
ANd thanks for sharing it with us. That is even scarier!
If I didn’t have more than I can handle on my own, I wouldn’t need Him. It looks different at different times, but in the end it’s all about Him and not about me at all. I wish I could teach myself that.
April’s getting closer. I can’t wait.
There is something we can both pray about. I am sure that we are both content if He doesn’t have “something up His sleeve” but I know we both will go when He says, “go”. Praying for eyes to be open where God is moving so we can go with Him. (Learning this from Experiencing God by Blackaby – Bible Study).
I have joined the linky gang on Wednesdays -with Wednesday’s Word. Drop by.
Keeping my eyes on Him,
Blessings,
Janis
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