...And then a mother loses her young child unexpectedly and tragically. A soldier goes off to protect and serve his country leaving behind a wife and young children. He never returns. An illness rocks the health of a mom who is the sole provider for her children and they lose their home and ultimately their chance at being together. A couple yearns for a child and spend years hoping and praying for the miracle of birth to be a part of their lives together but are brokenhearted over and over again.
God never gives us more than we can bear.
A husband watches daily as his wife and the mother of his children slips away because cancer has racked her broken body. Parents bury their only child. A teenager suddenly chooses to end his seemingly otherwise perfect life leaving everyone who knew and loved him gasping for air not knowing how they will survive their loss.
God never gives us more than we can bear.
And then everything we believed to be true suddenly seems so false and just empty words.
There are days when the struggles we find ourselves in steals our joy and takes away our ability to just breathe. It isn't because God doesn't care or isn't listening to our cries for help. He hears us. He alone can carry our burdens when we buckle under the load of pain and fear. Matthew 11:28 says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
You see - God does give us more than we can bear. Every single day. Every single hour of every single day. Every single minute and second of every single day someone in this broken world is asked to bear more than possible. But 1Corinthians 10:13 promises that "No temptation has seized you except what is common for people. But God is faithful. He won't allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it." We are never alone in our sufferings or struggles.
God alone is the solution for all that is wrong in our daily lives. We are on a journey that will ultimately bring us closer to knowing just How Great Is Our God. He feels the pain and suffering of every mother's broken heart, every husband's aching and empty life left behind, all the empty arms of grieving parents left childless. Every challenge we face in this sinful and broken world will all be made whole one day. I stand firm on that promise.
Mark 9 tells the story of a father who sought Jesus out because his son had spent his young life possessed by an unclean spirit. In his desperation he asked Jesus for compassion and help for his son if it was possible. Verse 23 says "And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said "I believe; help my unbelief!"
This is probably where many of us are as we face the trials in our lives, some small and others seemingly insurmountable. I am choosing to seek His face and ask Him to strengthen and help my unbelief.
Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
