Occasionally, I laugh at myself when even I can see that I’m just not getting it – when I’m circling the mountain… again. My wilderness wandering has never been more apparent than when I am unloading the car fro
m a day of shopping. Out of rote, I hop out of the car , pop the trunk, load shopping bags in larger totes to carry them on my shoulders; put some in my backpack to carry on my back ; strategically place bags on my arms; and grab the remaining bags in my hand. I begin my slow, deliberate ‘bag lady’ walk to the entrance of the apartment building while psychologically preparing to climb the stairs. It never fails that halfway up the stairs, even on a good day, the pain in my knees becomes unbearable. In my mind, I cannot take the pain that is sure to accompany the next step. I also cannot put anything down, nor make it back to the car for a redo. So, I stand there in utter disbelief that I am in this predicament… again.
I pray fervently for the Lord to help me make it up the remaining stairs before taking that next step. I shift the weight to one side in order to release some of the pressure off one knee -only to have pain shoot through the calf and hip muscles of the opposite leg. "Oh God, how many more to go?” If only I hadn’t ignored all the warnings that the load was too heavy – that I was taking on more than I could bear... comfortably.
Eventually, I make it to the landing, unlock the door, drop the bags, plop down in my desk chair, and just rock- rubbing my knees and thanking God. Out of frustration, my self-talk gets a little degrading because I know it will take days of medicated rubs, heat pads, ice packs and rest to recover from this lapse in judgement. Clearly, I don’t know the limits to what I can bear, physically or otherwise.
It is between my cries of “Lord, please help me” and “ Oh God, how many more steps… ”, where I’m reminded in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God is faithful and He knows just how much I can bear. If I'm in this situation , He will see me through it.
This same scripture is what I stood on back in 2007 right after my mother passed away. I was convinced that living without my mother was definitely more than I could bear. Yet, God sent the comforter that ministered to me in songs like “The struggle is over” by Youth for Christ , Marvin Sapp’s “Never would have made it”, James Fortune’s “ I trust you” and the Bible full of scriptures to include this one to get me through this period of my life. Now 13 years later, I’m still here and the broken pieces of my heart are on the mend! So, it appears He knew I could bear this trial and the temptation to throw in the towel, to turn away from Him and turn to a lifestyle that would be contrary to His plans for me. Lovingly, He has shown this to me over and over again!
Although this scripture in 1 Corinthians refers to how much temptation we can bear when it comes to sin , it is this Word that He brings to my remembrance every time I find myself thinking I cannot go on, every time I want to quit on an assignment , every time I need to make a difficult decision or make a decision to simply take the next step in life. This Word reminds me that giving in to the temptation- in whatever form it appears- is my choice, because the temptation or trial will not be more than I can handle. I can trust God and look for the promised “way of escape” – opened door- divine alternative.
Ahh, the security in knowing that the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God of heaven; the creator of the universe and all that is within it, not only knows my limits, but has planned my course navigation. My thought progression moves from thinking I cannot bear to take the next step- figuratively or literally ,from thinking I cannot go on with the heartbreak , or from thinking that I cannot take any more of a situation or relationship, to knowing I trust God, period!
In trusting Him, I believe Him when He says that He would not let me be in a situation for which I cannot endure. I believe He will provide a “ram in the bush”, strength, or whatever is needed to overcome the temptation, to be victorious in the situation. I believe Him when he says He will never leave nor forsake me. This confidence in Him and His Word strengthens me to press forward (Philippians 4:13).
Whether it is simply making it up the stairs to making major life decisions, I know I will get through whatever the challenge because my God knows my limits and provides whatever is needed to get through. Along with this encouragement in the Word, I have Hezekiah Walker’s song “How much we can bear” playing in my head to help me get my thinking on track and press forward.
The Word of My Testimony
1 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.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Lyrics: How Much We Can Bear Hezekiah Walker, The Love Fellowship Choir
If in your life you are going through ♦And you don't know really what to do ♦Just call on Jesus, he will see you through♦ For he knows, Jesus he knows ♦If there's a trial that has come your way ♦And you are looking for a brighter day ♦Just call on Jesus, he will make a way ♦For he knows, Jesus he knows ♦How much, We can bear ♦Jesus he knows ♦How much, We can bear ♦He knows (How much we)♦We can bear (We can bare)♦Repeat
I do not own the rights to the attached song or video. I just find it to be a neat little bow for this blog.
I too, have done this ‘exercise’ so many times with literal bags and figurative bags (life decisions). Both have proven to be so much more than I felt that I could bear that there are scars. However, it’s interesting that I have made it through each time not realizing until after the destination (or decision) had been made, that I was never alone. Somehow I was given the strength that I wasn’t sure I had when I started out. So glad of the reminder in HIS word that we can bear all things when we trust in HIM and trust in HIS faithfulness.
What a refreshing way to look at how we try to do it all. We must rely on God in every area of our lives. Blessings