How Do You Handle Difficult Seasons. Part 3 - True or False

Continuing on in the series of difficult seasons, here is another phrase we commonly hear and contemplate. Is it True or False? These are just my opinions. Always subject to change as does my walk with Christ.

“That which does not kill me makes me stronger.”

-          TRUE 

At some point in everyone's life, we will face a challenge where we say, "God I can't handle this." In the midst of the darkness, we can’t see through the clouds. In the middle of suffering, it can be reassuring and both annoying to hear it "will make us stronger." But, after the storm, the clouds go away and we can see clearly. During the storm, our faith is tested. But, through that storm, we grow. The unfortunate part is that growth is not an instant process. Just as we grow from children to adults, it takes time. And it’s on God’s timeline, not our own.

·       We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he know us!  - 1 Corinthians 13:12

·       But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  – 2 Cor 12:9 - 10

·       … but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, according to his purpose – Psalm 41:3

·        After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 5:10-11

·       “the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” James 1:3-4

There are several things that jump out at me from those verses above. “It won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright.” My storm will not last forever. “My power is made perfect in weakness.” God’s work within us is seen the most when he transforms weakness into strength. “suffering produces endurance…character…hope.”  When we go through storms in life, we grow. Testing our faith produces “perseverance.” But, that perseverance won’t finish until we are “mature and complete.” In other words, God will continue to work in us on His timeline, not our own, until He is finished accomplishing what He wants to within us. During our storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, whatever you want to call them, we might question God. We might wonder if He has turned His back on us because we may not see or feel Him at that time. But we must remember that no matter what, God’s hand is still with us and His power makes us strong! We are not alone in our growth process. He wraps His loving arms around us and carries us when we cannot walk. 

Many of us have heard the phrase, "God will never give you more than you can handle." As far as I've been able to tell, that popular phrase isn't anywhere in the Bible and I'm pretty certain it's not. It leaves out an important factor. We aren't meant to handle "more" alone. I think the truth is, the things that do not kill us, CAN  kill us without God. If we don't turn to God and ask for His strength to endure it, we may not get through it. God does promise us many times that He will never leave us and that, through Him, we can become stronger and overcome the world. 

• He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Isaiah 40:29

• Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 2 Cor 1:9

There is a verse that relates to what temptations God will allow to test our faith. But, this refers to sin, a choice, rather than trials, something we have no choice over. 

• Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

I can look back at any times in my life, where I have weathered storms. I wish my current self could travel back in time and tell my old self, "You are going to be o.k. You WILL get through this."  The things that have not killed me, have made me stronger through the power and provision of God.

Tune in for part 4 of this series.