Friday, 22 June 2012
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Things I Can't Handle
There's a song on Christian radio right now that I utterly deplore. I'm not going to name it or give the lyrics because I don't want to trash something that might have blessed someone else. If it did, wonderful.The gist of this song is that if you are a "good person" and bad things keep happening to you, you should be happy because God has promised not to give you more than you can take.
Problem 1) No human being is a good person. Once we are made alive in Christ, the Holy Spirit begins the process of changing us to be more like Jesus and gives us Christ's righteousness, but that doesn't make us inherently good in ourselves or deserving of good things instead of bad things. I'm incredibly offended by the idea that as a Christian, I should get on some kind of high horse and feel insulted when things don't go my way because I'm so wonderful. That just isn't how things work, and if we're going by what I "deserve," then I shouldn't even be alive right now and looking forward to a glorious future in heaven. The Christian life is all about how we don't get the punishment we deserve, not that we deserve awesome things because we're good.
Problem 2) The idea that God doesn't give us more than we can take is based on 1 Corinthians 10:13: No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
This verse is talking about temptation to sin. I would contend that it's not talking about the unbearable sadness of losing loved ones. It's not addressing the experience of physical pain so intense you think you're losing your mind. It's not about rejection so painful you can hardly breathe. We may be tempted during these experiences, and yet, they are not temptations in themselves. They're just hard, horrible things that happen to us when we live in a fallen world. (On top of this, the song has an incredibly humanistic tone, as if we're the ones with the strength.)
As someone who has now gone through nine years of physical suffering as a result of an incurable disease, I cannot express to you how incredibly offended I am by a peppy song chorus implying that we should just dance around on our merry way because nothing is ever going to happen to us that we can't handle.
What about reality? What about those times that come to all of us when something hits us right in the solar plexus so hard that we fall down and feel like we're never going to be able to get up again? If you're alive, you know what I'm talking about.
I'm going to end this with song lyrics that I'm proud to include, for the song "The Hurt and the Healer" by MercyMe, because here's what I believe:
I believe God allows things to happen to us that we can't handle all the time. He lets us fall, slip, be knocked into situations that Satan and our fallen world provide, not because He's a sadist who wants us to fail. No, He lets us come up against huge mountains we can't climb because He knows Who can handle them. Every time we dangle over a precipice of impossibility, we have a chance to let ourselves fall--into the arms of the Healer, Jesus Christ. I don't need some saccharine promise about having enough strength in myself to handle whatever is thrown at me. When I have no more strength left, what I need is to be reminded is to look to Jesus, my Savior who can not only handle anything, but He can make it glorious.
The Hurt and The Healer
Why?
The question that is never far away
The healing doesn’t come from the explained
Jesus please don’t let this go in vain
You’re all I have
All that remains
So here I am
What’s left of me
Where glory meets my suffering
I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into Your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collideBreathe
Sometimes I feel it’s all that I can do
Pain so deep that I can hardly move
Just keep my eyes completely fixed on You
Lord take hold and pull me through
So here I am
What’s left of me
Where glory meets my suffering
I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into your arms open wide
When the hurt and the healer collide
It’s the moment when humanity
Is overcome by majesty
When grace is ushered in for good
And all our scars are understood
When mercy takes its rightful place
And all these questions fade away
When out of the weakness we must bow
And hear You say “It’s over now”
I’m alive
Even though a part of me has died
You take my heart and breathe it back to life
I’ve fallen into your arms open wide
When The hurt and the healer collide
Jesus come and break my fear
Awake my heart and take my tears
Find Your glory even here
When the hurt and the healer collide [x2]
Jesus come and break my fear
Awake my heart and take my tears
Find Your glory even here
Do you think God ever gives you more than you can handle? Why or why not? When have you had to overcome difficult circumstances, and how has God helped you through them?
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About the Author
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- From: Pickwick12@xanga
- Name: Amy
- Location: Fort Myers, Florida, United States
- About Me: I don't care what is written about me so long as it isn't true. -Dorothy Parker
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Comments (32)
Great post. So tired of most of what passes for Christian music these days.
God never gives us stuff we can't handle, it's true. He never said anything about giving stuff we can't handle ALONE. There are some things we can't handle by ourselves, but we can handle everything if we ask for God's help. I hope you get what I am trying to say. You might have a different opinion, but this is just what I believe.
Without trials we can not become stronger. And it is through trials that we become closer to God as well.
You have put it so right.
@markdohle - Thanks, Mark! I'm glad to hear that.
@ClosetCalvinist - Thanks, and yeah, I hear you.
@Empathic_Heart@xanga - Yep, this is the point I was trying to make. Of course we can handle absolutely anything if we depend totally on God (meaning, He's actually the One handling it through us), but there's plenty that comes our way that we can't handle if we're depending on ourselves. Thanks for commenting.
@angys_coco@xanga - Thank you
I agree with Closet Calvinist:"Great post. So tired of most of what passes for Christian music these days." You're a profound thinker, Amy, and I love to read you to get my own tired and old brain cells workin'.
@JerusalemHill@xanga - Thank you! That's so kind
Yes, I feel like there are times I've gotten more than I can bear. From physical ailments others don't understand. From challenges with raising children years back. I don't necessarily think God picks us out of the littler and says, "Here, you take this piece of crap to make you stronger." Rather, I think he allows things to come our way. And sometimes we are stronger because of it, and sometimes we aren't. But I avoid Christian radio like the plague because I simply disagree with much of the theology they toss out there. And loving to include politics in it. I had a friend at another church who told me God only hears the prayers of Christians. Really? Where is that written? Some guy in Somalia falls to his knees and cries out for help, and God doesn't hear him?
Wow, bitter much? Your view of this song would imply that there are no "good" people at all, and if anyone thinks they are, well, we are all sinner and fall short of the glory, yada, yada...what an incredibly negative way to look at life and Christ.
We are created in God's Image. God loved us so much that he gave His only Son to redeem us. If we are such worthless pieces of crap, what did God invent us for? If we are so despicable, why did He send His own Son to save us? He could have had perpetual coffee with His Son in Heaven and turned his back on the Earth and His creation, created another Earth and inhabitants that did not sin.
It is not nearly as black and white as you are painting it. Fact is, there are good people in this world, they show it every day by helping their neighbor live a better life. Singing a song, painting a picture, raising and distributing food, making a pair of shoes. Everything in life we do, is to help improve the quality of life for others. Caring for an elderly person, feeding a child, petting a cat or playing with a dog. Even God's lesser creations care for their own and show compassion, sympathy, demonstrate love. When my cat rubs on my leg, or snuggles at my feet, it is out of pure love and contentment. It has no ulterior motive. When your dog wags its tail and barks and jumps up and down at the sight of you walking up the drive, it is because he is happy to see you, glad you are around. He wants to show affection to you.
Just because you have an incurable disease shouldn't cause you to walk around with this negative cloud around your shoulders, raining on all nearby. I can't imagine friends would want to be near you long. (Oh, here comes Amy, isn't she just a ray of sunshine"..(sarcasm intended).
Many people I know have incurable diseases, some horribly painful, yet go out of their way to smile at another, lend an ear, send a birthday card, or something to cheer another person, or lighten their load along the way. And instead of being bitter when they hear a song on the radio (and sitting on their pity pot) they stop thinking of themselves and their own misery, look around at the difficulties their friends and neighbors are going through, and roll up their sleeves and help them. They soon forget about their own misfortune, or at least it puts it in perspective.
Biblically, look at Job, and all of the problems he encountered. Dreaded painful disease, losing his wealth, his family, his friends, basically everything, and yet he refused to turn against God. God does indeed stand with us in times of trial, and also rejoices with us in good times too. Jesus entire ministry here on earth was to love one another, and teach us to do the same. He was constantly healing, helping, laughing with His friends, comforting, consoling, giving hope, instilling faith. Now to me, that is a fine example of how to live my life. He taught by example, by doing; we should too. Is there a time for righteous indignation or anger? Sure, although that was a miniscule part of His life. The vast majority of the time He was loving, teaching, laughing, lightening another's load, and forgiving. Right up to His dying breath.
Did Jesus threaten us and say "Follow Me, or you will be damned and go to hell"? Um, don't remember that part. Or did He say " In my Fathers House are many mansions (rooms) and I will go there and prepare a place for you", thereby inviting us into eternity with Him and Father God? Seems to me Jesus was an optimist, saw the glass half full.
It would do all of us good to see that glass half full as well.
@Ork58@xanga - It's quite ironic to read such a negative, attacking and personally insulting response to this post by someone who is simultaneously trying to encourage us to see the glass half full. No matter what you think about the opinions shared in the above post by Pickwick12, your comments are inappropriately hurtful and aggressive. As a person who praises Jesus for, "loving, teaching, laughing, lightening another's load, and forgiving," shouldn't you be finding a more loving way to respond, yourself?
as someone who has been through much in 20 years, like you healthwise, even more in the last 5 alone, and someone who feels God's grace and power, i coudv'e written this. theyre thoughts ive been turning over for 2 weeks now, so thanks for saving me the trouble :)
God bless you
@BellaManda@xanga - Wow, thank you! I stand with you as someone who is so thankful for HIS grace that gets me through each day.
I know the exact song you are talking about! When I heard it on the radio I suspected that anyone who is going through a world of hurt might feel exactly the way you do. And I don't think it is bitterness (as Ork58 stated). It is a valid emotion. Both I and my sibling have recently had separate friends who lost a child. One of the things both sets of parents stated is the irritation with the cliche comments that people will make... naively thinking it is encouragement. And one of the comments that was especially frustrating for both was, "God only gives you what you can handle". Really? Seriously? Even when someone is holding firmly to God while their world feels like it is falling apart, is that supposed to be encouragement? It sounds more like the possibility that God might give them more to handle. The song would be better suited to remind someone of God's promises. (e.g. that they will not be going through the situation alone.) Both in person and in song... we should choose our words more than a bit more wisely.
Contrary to ClosetCalvinist's comment though... I still LOVE Christian radio.
@agapeartbeat -With you here :) Thanks for the comment!
@Ork58@xanga -Wow. And you call yourself Christian? You're missing the point and you're way off base. I hesitate to tell you what I really think about you, because it's not NICE AT ALL. Best thing any of us can suggest is to pray that you remove your head from your anatomical darkness and stop being such a negative soul.
Next time you might want to reflect on your answer before you take such an arrogant stance. Please don't darken anyone's day with your "holier than thou" response.
And don't make me go Gabriel on your sorry rear, you tool!!
@classyact0820@xanga - LOL! You are SOOOO much kinder in your response than I was in mine. ;) I understand where Amy is coming from too. Bless her heart! I just want to flog ork58 for being such a sanctimonious piece of work!
I know it's not right, but it drives me nuts when "so called" Christians want to jump up on a soap box and pretend like they are perfect beings. We're all imperfect and we all screw up. Lift your brothers and sisters up. Never hold them down!!
Well written and I agree 100%
@Empathic_Heart@xanga - Sometimes those trials go on for too long for some people to handle.
@Tallman@xanga - Thank you!
@Tallman@xanga - People aren't perfect, and we certainly don't know everything. It's not that some trials go on too long for us to handle, it's that sometimes we just don't know what to ask for, or what to look for.
Trials make us stronger if we have the right attitude, our will is much stronger than we think. We can get through anything with God. Some people don't really completely understand this sometimes. All trials eventually end, yes some are long and some are VERY long, but they end. I had a trial I went through for 18 years, it was pretty difficult, but I never gave up hope, and now it is over and I have gained a lot from it.
I think you have an excellent view of this. Bless you
@lanney@xanga - Thank you so much