No no no, you can't handle this

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13


If verses had feelings, I think this one would lament over being constantly misunderstood. Often times we think back to this, especially during times of trouble, and think of it in reference to our own personal strengths. We look at it as God’s kudos to our ability to handle tough times and when it’s over we thank God for believing in us if we succeed, or questioning His confidence if we don’t. Yet this verse is not about what we can or can not accomplish, as the rest of the Bible makes very clear. Verses like Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 12:9, and Isaiah 40:29. Even 1 Corinthians 10:12 warns us not to become too confident in our own power.

So what is this verse about, if not about our strength? What is our “ability”? I believe it is our measure of faith. James 1:2-3 tells us that trials are considered the testing of our faith. And it is through faith that God can make good on His promises. Do I truly believe that I can do all things through Christ? Sure, I may have the faith to get through a bad day or two, but what about dealing with the betrayal of a friend, the loss of a loved one or supporting myself and my family through difficult financial times? What will my attitude look like in those situations? When faced with issues of pride, greed, selfishness, lust, anger or bitterness can I pray for wisdom as James instructed, and pray without doubting?

Many times we must allow ourselves to get to the place where we realize that we are insufficient to make it through the struggle before God can provide us an escape. James also reminds us that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (4:6) and “humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” (4:10). When we humble ourselves, we give Him free reign to do what needs to be done, with no interference from us and proud minds. In reality, there is no circumstance that we can’t bear, as there is nothing that is too big for Him. The only limitation is in how much we trust Him to provide for us in all situations.