But...as I read through the comments from her other friends.... I stopped short when I read a comment that said, "God will NOT put more on us than we can bear!!"
I know that this statement is often blurted out by well meaning people who want to be encouraging. I resisted the urge to stir the pot on facebook, and decided to stir it here. :-)
I can tell you here and now that the above statement is false!! I know that God WILL give us more than we can bear.
Nowhere in the Bible does it say, "Oh, hang in there, because God won't let things get too bad".
There will be terrible trials in life. In those darkest moments, when you have broken beyond repair, is when one learns to rely totally on God.
A simple Internet search brought me directly to THIS BLOG, (which I've seen before via another friend... so it must be accurate) ;) (be sure to read it!)
2 Corinthians 1:8,9
"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."
Please note that Paul, straight out of the Bible, says that he was under pressure, far beyond his ability.
And there you have it. God will allow things that are totally more than we can handle..... but the good part is ....that Paul goes on to say these things happened "that we might not rely on ourselves but on God"
It is in the brokenness that God works miracles and mends hearts. Sure, it's crappy that we have to learn our lessons and grow out of our brokenness and despair. But somehow God is going to use it for good.
In my case, with Thayer's death, I continue to question the good that can possibly come out of having fatherless children. And many days, I grieve for my boys and myself. Other days, I am overwhelmed by the blessings that surround us. Every day is a journey that is molding us in to the people that God created us to be. Our life story is a big one.
When the trials hit, it's not that someone is strong enough to handle it.... I think the moral of this story is.... when trials hit, remember to reach out for God.
God is the only one strong enough to pull you out of the quicksand.
