This will be difficult. I do not mean for this post to offend anyone or cause you to leave this page. It is something that God has been putting on my heart for a long time (long before we found ourselves in the position we are in now).
First, let me tell you how much Metha and I appreciate everyone who has joined, posted or liked anything on th...is page. Although we are not able to respond to each post, rest assured, we do read each of them and often find ourselves reading them to each other throughout the day.
One comment that we have received over and over is one that I have often shared with others who are going through troubles and rough times in their lives. It is a phrase that often is the only one we can come up with at the time. The comment is this, "God will not put more on you than you can stand." While I understand the sentiment behind the comment, I'm not sure that we need to take it as the gospel truth. I want to share with you what God has been showing me recently.
If we take the comment at face value, then we are saying that God will let us take care of all our problems without His help. We are saying that God knows what our limitations are (and He does) and he will test/try us up to that point and not a bit more. While that gives us a good feeling and boosts out selfish pride I'm not sure it's what we should say.
My reasoning is based on this fact: If God will not put more on us than we can stand - where does faith come into the picture? If I can handle my problems then I don't need God to help me. Faith is totally taken away. If I can handle anything that comes my way - I don't need God. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Let's see what scripture says about it. Don't just take my word.
Psalm 55:22 (NIV) Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 68:19 (NIV) Praise be to our Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Matt. 11:28-30 (NIV) Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
I believe that each of you is following the command in Galatians 6:2 by helping to "carry" our burden. I think verse 2 applies to you but I know verse 3 applies to us. "If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves." I am here to tell you that there is no way Metha and I can get through this on our own. We are not strong enough, smart enough or tough enough to get through this without God's help. I think the song "Through it All" says it best:
So I thank him for the mountains
And I thank him for the valleys
And I thank him for the times he's brought me through
For if I'd never had a problem
I wouldn't know that He could solve them
I wouldn't know what faith in God can do
So the short and simple thought is this. God will put more on us than we can stand. Why? So that He can receive the honor and glory when we pass through the storm. 1 Peter 1:7 (NIV) says that "These (trials of our faith) have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
In closing, please understand my heart as I write this. Metha and I dearly love each of you and thank God daily for the comments you make. Please continue to pray for our family in the coming days. This will not be a quick or easy road. We will be getting used to a new normal very soon with Noah and it will not be an easy transition. We will not only need your support, love and prayers while here. We will, most definitely, need them when we get home.
First, let me tell you how much Metha and I appreciate everyone who has joined, posted or liked anything on th...is page. Although we are not able to respond to each post, rest assured, we do read each of them and often find ourselves reading them to each other throughout the day.
One comment that we have received over and over is one that I have often shared with others who are going through troubles and rough times in their lives. It is a phrase that often is the only one we can come up with at the time. The comment is this, "God will not put more on you than you can stand." While I understand the sentiment behind the comment, I'm not sure that we need to take it as the gospel truth. I want to share with you what God has been showing me recently.
If we take the comment at face value, then we are saying that God will let us take care of all our problems without His help. We are saying that God knows what our limitations are (and He does) and he will test/try us up to that point and not a bit more. While that gives us a good feeling and boosts out selfish pride I'm not sure it's what we should say.
My reasoning is based on this fact: If God will not put more on us than we can stand - where does faith come into the picture? If I can handle my problems then I don't need God to help me. Faith is totally taken away. If I can handle anything that comes my way - I don't need God. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Let's see what scripture says about it. Don't just take my word.
Psalm 55:22 (NIV) Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.
Psalm 68:19 (NIV) Praise be to our Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Matt. 11:28-30 (NIV) Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
I believe that each of you is following the command in Galatians 6:2 by helping to "carry" our burden. I think verse 2 applies to you but I know verse 3 applies to us. "If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves." I am here to tell you that there is no way Metha and I can get through this on our own. We are not strong enough, smart enough or tough enough to get through this without God's help. I think the song "Through it All" says it best:
So I thank him for the mountains
And I thank him for the valleys
And I thank him for the times he's brought me through
For if I'd never had a problem
I wouldn't know that He could solve them
I wouldn't know what faith in God can do
So the short and simple thought is this. God will put more on us than we can stand. Why? So that He can receive the honor and glory when we pass through the storm. 1 Peter 1:7 (NIV) says that "These (trials of our faith) have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
In closing, please understand my heart as I write this. Metha and I dearly love each of you and thank God daily for the comments you make. Please continue to pray for our family in the coming days. This will not be a quick or easy road. We will be getting used to a new normal very soon with Noah and it will not be an easy transition. We will not only need your support, love and prayers while here. We will, most definitely, need them when we get home.
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