Hitting the Wall

Hitting the Wall

“Don’t worry, God won’t give you any more than you can handle.” Ever had anyone say that to you? Did you believe it? They probably used this verse: 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.”

I wonder what Paul meant when he said this. If you look at what he had to deal with in his life, you have to wonder if he meant what people mean today. 2 Corinthians 11:24-26, “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.

So, we can probably assume he did not mean that we would not go through excruciating circumstances. Nor did he mean that you would not experience so much pain that we would begin to have doubts that God even cares. And I certainly don't think he meant that He would preserve our upwardly mobile lifestyles at all costs. So, if life is difficult, you are in good company.

Having spent a lot of time reading the book of Job and Mike Mason's, The Gospel According to Job and reflecting upon life, I am beginning to understand what Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble.” I have had friends die of cancer. I've seen parents lose children. I spent time with teenagers who grew up being beaten, locked in closets, chained to tables and now cope by cutting themselves with razor blades. And with the onslaught of the Media, one cannot ignore the tragedies occurring every day as the images flash across the screen.

But I also don't want to diminish the troubles that each of us have. That phrase, “hitting the wall” is used by marathon runners who think they cannot take another step. Their muscles are spasming and they still have to run 5, 6 or more miles to the finish line. But they do it. How? Sheer endurance? Mind over body? It certainly comes down to training. For it seems that the more pain we experience the more we can endure the next time. But that wall keeps appearing and if we persevere, it seems to fall. Maybe that's what Jesus meant in the second half of the verse I just quoted, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I've known many who thought they couldn't take another tragedy, or they couldn't go one more day...and yet...they do. The troubles don't seem to go away. Life in Christ is not some panacea of life in heaven this side of death. It's a struggle. It wears on us to the point that one more day of it cannot be possible....but one more day comes...and then another....and then as we distance ourselves from that event, we feel relief...for a moment...we begin to realize that the agony is often temporary.

Mike Yaconnelli, founder of Youth Specialities said that it's a mistake to think that we can live on a diet of mountaintop experiences. Life's not like that. It's more like hiking through the woods and you finally come upon a clearing. Out of the dark, dank forest into the bright sunshine. You feel the relief. The chill is gone...but only for a moment...for we must keep on hiking and that takes us back into the woods.

Oswald Chambers says similar things in My Utmost For His Highest. “We were made to live in the valleys not on the mountaintops.” Essentially he's saying that mountaintop experiences are good, but real life is down below with you and me, who are also struggling.

That's the real kicker isn't it. Those “hitting the wall” moments cause us to focus inward and withdraw from reality. For a marathon runner, it would certainly be more comfortable to lie down in the grass and give into the sensations of his body, but that's not why he runs. He runs, maybe not to win, but certainly to finish.

This was the Apostle Paul's goal in life; to finish despite what he was experiencing. He seemed to know with such clarity that all he was experiencing was worth it. He says in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Ministering to others in the midst of our own pain seems to be the quickest way to get over that wall.

There is something cathartic in reaching out despite our present difficulties. It's not natural. It's more natural to roll over and pull the covers over your head. I'm glad we have Paul as an example to us. I'm glad Jesus persevered despite his fears in the garden. And I'm glad I have friends that have provided examples for me as they have endured beyond what should be possible.

So, God must think that we can handle an awful lot. Just as Job experienced a ridiculous amount of turmoil, some of us may experience things in this life that just seem....well...unbearable. For my sake, for the sake of your friends and family...please endure...don't give up...don't give Satan the pleasure of taking another one down....trust Jesus at His word. Take heart, for He has over come the world. In other words, the story is not done yet. Wait 'til He writes the final chapter.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

James 1:2-4

Oh, and I do think that God will give us more than we can handle because He never intended us to go it alone. He designed us to be in a relationship with Him and we are designed to be in relationship to each other.