On God Giving You This Life Because You Were Strong Enough to Live It

I came across a quote today on Pinterest:

"God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry it's weight" - Reggie White

And, I used to believe that - I used to believe it was a mark of divine favor when I suffered, and a testament to God's faith in me that he allowed burdens, heavier than I felt I could bear, to fall on me.

But you know what?

I don't believe that anymore - in fact, I think it's absolutely false.

I think God deliberately gives us more than we can handle. He didn't "give you this life because you were strong enough to live it"

He gave you this life because you weren't.

If you or I were strong enough to live this life on our own, where would be the need for Him?

(*hint: there wouldn't)

The whole point of this life is that we aren't strong enough to live it. The whole point of burdens is that we aren't strong enough to carry them. The whole point of hardships is that we can't do it alone.

They're God's way of showing us that we need Him, that we can't carry, we can't do it in our own strength.

They're also God's way of drawing us to himself, because if I can carry the weight of my life by myself, I won't talk to God... I'll do it all on my own.

So no, I don't believe anymore that "God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry it's weight". I don't at all.

He places the heaviest burden on those who can't carry it's weight at all - those who will fumble and fail - because when they fall on their faces, they will cry out to Him.

After all, His strength is made perfect in weakness - not strength - and He has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.

His aim is to turn us into mighty ones, yes, but mighty in the sense that we can do nothing apart from him - mighty in the sense that we have no strength of our own, since our strength is feeble compared to His overwhelming might.

His plan is to bring us to the end of our own strength because then we have no other recourse but Him.

But no, He did not give you this life because you were strong enough to live it. He gave it to you because He knew you weren't but He is.

And through His might, His power, and His love, we are given the strength to carry on.