No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
I don't want to spoil conventional wisdom, but the fact of the matter is this: I cannot find any scripture which backs up traditional thought that God will not put more on us than we can “bear.”
Throughout my life, well-meaning Christians have told me that God will not put more pressure, problems, and trials on us than we can bear. Some would have us to believe that God, being a God of love, will only allow us to experience stress of life up to our ability to handle it. This is just does not hold true to Scripture.
Today's verse does say that God will not allow us to be “tempted” beyond what we can bear and that He will always provide us a way out of temptation so that we will not sin against Him. Perhaps this is where the confusion arises.
What I do read in the Bible are Biblical characters, heroes of the faith, who received more burdens than they could handle on their own. Look at Elijah. After hearing that Jezebel was out to kill him, Elijah hid in a cave and asked God to take his life. Moses, too, got to a serious point of frustration in his ministry when his father-in-law had to advise him to seek help. Wasn't Jonah a frustrated pastor? He, too, thought it would be better for God to “take his life.”
No, I think there are times when all of us, even the most mature Christians, face situations and circumstances in life that we just cannot handle. But, that is why “His strength is made perfect in our weakness” (
2 Corinthians 12:29). That is why “He must increase” and we “must decrease” (
John 3:30). That is why “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (
Isaiah 40:29).
Life is tough, even unbearable at times. And, of course, that is why we need a Savior!
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I may not see in front of me, But I can see for miles around when I look over my shoulder, and Lord, it`s clear. You`ve brought me here, So faithful every step of the way. What can I do but follow you, For You are the Way, the Truth, the Life, And You`ve promised never to leave me, My Savior, my friend, From beginning to end. 
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