What is an Overcomer? Nancy briefly explains, but prior to that please understand
…many new believers have concerns about the ‘suffering’ part, because they thought that now that they’ve chosen Him, there will be no more suffering. Well, that’s true—only not while we’re here on earth. While here, we live under Adam and Eve’s sinful decision. We live under the god of this world and that’s always troubling. Which is why we MUST live fully armored and protected and behave like sojourners in this world. The total-lack-of-suffering promise occurs later.
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Danielle Bernock explains it:
“When people talk about God not giving us more than we can handle, they frequently reference 1 Corinthians 10:13. Let’s look at what God does and does not give, as well as our ability to handle it.
Temptation:
There are important things to note about temptation. God does not give us temptation.
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desires and enticed. (James 1:14-15)
Temptation happens to us all and there is no shame in being tempted. Jesus himself was tempted but remained without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
When we are tempted, this is where we have the promised help found in 1 Corinthians 10:13–“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
God never gives us temptation, but He does give us the way to escape it.
Trouble:
God will not give you more trouble than you can handle because God is not the giver of trouble. God is the giver of life and the source of love and blessing. However, life will dish out horrendous things where people find themselves in despair crying out “I can’t handle this.”
Ever since the fall in the garden, humanity has had trouble. Sickness, tragedy, violence, and death are the result of sin. Jesus made it clear that trouble was part of living in the world and that He was the remedy, not the source.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
Hard Things:
God does give us hard things. He does this in two ways: God gives us tests and commands.
Tests can be scary, but God gives them to us for good reason. They expose what’s inside of us. Tests show us where our need for growth is.
The commands that God gives us are not only hard, they are impossible — for a reason. This is evidenced in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, God gave the law through Moses and no one has been successful at keeping it — except Jesus.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus upped the hardness of the law in His sermon on the mount, making it more impossible for us to obey. He said things like “you’ve heard it said, but I say…”
But again, for a reason.
Jesus gives us the way to do the hard thing, which is obedience, in John 15:5–“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Did you catch it?
The only way we can do the hard things God gives us to do is in union with Him. God gives us hard things to do so we can do them together and we can always handle that.
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Jesus suffered (beyond our comprehension) and then died for us—all waaaaaay beyond our ability to handle. He told us we will suffer in this world, too, but He is here. Right beside His beloved. Jesus wants us to bring our suffering to Him. Get closer. Seek Him first. Then go out and help others. Because all humans suffer—believers and non-believers alike; however, believers get respite if they seek Him. That’s the difference. Our suffering is never more than we can handle IF WE SEEK HIM DURING THE TURMOIL.
That’s the key.