The Meaning Of 1 Corinthians 10:13 (God Will Not Give You More Than You Can Handle)
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. 1 Corinthians 10:13
God will not give you more than you can handle. This phrase is pulled from 1 Corinthians 10:13 and is meant to give us assurance in the strength we have in God.
However, many people misinterpret this verse and claim that God will never give us more than we can handle. That we are capable of getting through whatever is in front of us. But 1 Corinthians 10:13 isn’t a promise that we have the strength within us to get through life’s challenges.
Even Paul, who wrote this, faced challenges that were far too difficult for him to overcome. God will give us more than we can handle. And as we dive into the meaning of 1 Corinthians 10:13 we will see why that’s a good thing.
The Context Of 1 Corinthians 10:13
It’s important when we read the Bible to read it in context. When we read one verse while ignoring the surrounding verses it’s likely we will miss the beauty of what it’s communicating and misapply it to our lives. To understand how the meaning of 1 Corinthians 10:13 applies to our life we need to first look at the context of the chapter.
Paul wrote the letter of 1 Corinthians to the church in Corinth where idol worship was commonplace. They were facing pressure and intense temptation to fall into this sin.
To help them, Paul goes back into history to the Israelites wandering the desert after they escaped slavery in Egypt. 1 Corinthians 10 describes how this generation of Israelites were cared for by God, yet still repeatedly fell into idol worship (Exodus 13-17; Numbers 10-15).
Paul is urging this church to not be like them. He’s encouraging them that they don’t have to give in to temptation; God will provide a way for them to escape this sin.
This leads us to verse 13. So let’s dive into 1 Corinthians 10:13 and see what it holds for us today.
The Meaning Of 1 Corinthians 10:13
To help us understand this verse we are going to break it down into key parts. This will help us better understand what the Apostle Paul meant and how it applies to our lives today.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind…
Remember the context, the church in Corinth is surrounded by idol worship. They are tempted at every corner to turn from God toward some other god.
Paul is telling his readers failure is not inevitable. They can get through this temptation and any other they face. He’s giving them hope that they can resist.
Further in this first sentence Paul is telling the church in Corinth that what they are facing is not unique to them. Others are tempted by the same things. They are not alone.
While today few are tempted to bow down to an engraved image, we are still surrounded by things that tempt us. We are in a very similar place to this 1st century church, surrounded by temptations at every corner.
Paul’s words still ring true for us today. Failure is not inevitable. There are others tempted by the SAME things you are. Together we can resist and step into what God has for us.
God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear…
Next Paul reminds his readers that God is faithful, and that he will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear.
The reality is that you WILL be tempted. Even Jesus was tempted. Being tempted is not a sin. It’s when we give into our temptations that we cross the line.
And this verse is telling us that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. God knows what we are capable of and protects us from temptations that are too great for us.
This doesn’t mean that the temptations we face are easy, or that we can face them on our own. Flying solo is a quick way to fall into sin. Throughout this verse we are reminded that it is God who is our strength.
We cannot overcome temptation by our own strength, but by God’s strength.
He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it…
God will not put us in a situation where we have no way out. There’s aways an escape to avoid sin. He won’t force us to take it, but he will provide a way.
Sometimes it feels like there’s no way out of the temptations we are facing. And that is probably the case when we look to our own power. But when we look to God he will provide a way.
When faced with temptation we need to look to God. Not ourselves or what is surrounding us. The way out is found in God alone.
WHat “God Will Not Give You More Than You Can Handle” Means
The church in Corinth was tempted to abandon what God said was best in pursuit of what the culture was doing around them. They put themselves in danger of failing by attending cultic meals and not avoiding other pagan practices.
They were taking their eyes off God and had underestimated the danger of their situation. On top of that they overestimated their own ability to handle the temptations they were facing.
Paul writes this passage to them to remind them that God had made a way for them to escape this temptation. But not on their own, but by the strength of God. The meaning of 1 Corinthians 10:13 is that we can avoid temptation if we walk closely with God.
Let me end by giving you three ways you can apply 1 Corinthians 10:13 to your life.
1. Look To God, Not What’s Tempting Us
The church in Corinth was surrounded by things that tempted them. While what tempts us has changed, the temptation of sin has not. We are surrounded by a culture that participates and celebrates things that God calls us to avoid.
Some react by simply avoiding culture altogether. But that’s the wrong application. After all, even Jesus didn’t do that. And it’s pretty hard to love people when we avoid them. We are called to be in this world, but not of it. In that way we can live out the calling God has given us.
We can do this when we keep our eyes on God and walk with him closely. Don’t look at the things that tempt you, rather look to the one who gives you strength to overcome.
The next time you are tempted, immediately turn your attention to God. He’s right there beside you, run to him.
2. Don’t Put Yourself In No Win Situations, Look For The Off Ramp
The church in Corinth kept putting themselves in no win situations. They got increasingly closer to idol worship by attending cultic meals, thus increasing their temptation.
We do the same today. We inch closer to sin trying not to cross the line. But that’s playing with fire and eventually we will get burned.
While it’s inevitable that we will be tempted, we often make the temptations worse by not using wisdom.
If someone struggles with alcoholism, it’s not smart for them to hang out at a bar. If they do they are just increasing the odds that they will give into their temptation.
The same is true with whatever you struggle with. Don’t put yourself in a no win situation. Look for the off ramp that God will provide you.
3. Surround Yourself With Other Christians
Paul tells the church in Corinth about the other followers of Jesus who struggle with idolatry. He wants them to know they are not alone.
Listen, you aren’t alone either. There are others who struggle with that same sin that you do.
It’s important that we don’t try to go solo through life. Following Jesus is best done in community. Together we can encourage and help each other avoid temptations.
If you try to get through your temptations alone it’s going to be a long and lonely road. You need others in your corner that will help you.
This verse offers us an encouragement that we can get through the temptations of this life. Not on our own, but by the strength of God. The next time you are tempted, pull out this verse and reflect on 1 Corinthians 10:13.
Of course God can give you more than you can handle. He INTENDS it to be more than you can handle so you HAVE to depend on Him. And if it wasn’t more than they could handle, people wouldn’t commit suicide. It is US that decides if it is more than we can handle. And it really sucks when God gives you more than you can handle over and over and over and then ignores all your attempts to bring Him into it to make it better. This is one of the stupid comments Christians make to others facing depression or ptsd or going through other crises because they are uncomfortable both with the problem you are facing and the idea that God is NOT always good.
How can one avoid the temptation of looking at women when they are everywhere. I try not to look but fail most of the time. I beg Jesus for help but nothing works
Well, its like it says. There are others who are going through what you are going through. You are not alone. And its not just men who go through this. Even women have the want to look at men in sexual ways. Its a human thing that we cant really over hall. But the best thing to do is avoid yourself from situations like that. Such as the beach. If you know you suffer from this then shelter yourself from others at the beach or simply don’t go and find something else to enjoy. I understand the urge is very hard to fight and the fact that women are everywhere. Sometimes we have to give up something we like to help us be better Christians. An example would also be if you use your internet access for lust and human pleasure then cut off your safari on your phone. Just remember, don’t let the devil win. He is everywhere and anywhere. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour
Anyway I hope this helped this is kind of practice for me because I’m starting my own road to becoming a preacher at the age of 15.
Good morning. I couldn’t help but feel an additional perspective is needed here. Having grown in my relationship with the Lord, He’s deepened my understanding of so much. And in keeping with your particular statement, Robert. I was overwhelmed with the feelings of ‘shame’, in which you carry all around it, not ‘lust’. With that said, ask yourself how my statement just made you feel. That’s important to recognize. If that effected you deeply (sadly) there lies your snare! Satan knows your weak spots & will exploit & manipulate them in any way necessary. In-reard to you, it’s apparent he utilized through ‘looking at women’ enorder to snare/entrap you. Now that he’s got you, he can comtinue to taunt &
toy with you. Robbing & distracting you from having the fullness/quality of your life. I’d like to touch on an additional insight here, too. Robert, your statement did not mention anything other than ‘looking at women’, right? I couldn’t help but notice that the (only other) reply here took it to a ‘sexual desire’ & the forfeiting/sacrificing of additional qualities of your life (going to the beach) because of your – – said problem. Moreover, the normalizing of that ‘snare’ by deflecting, stating ‘women do this too’. There’s no shame intended here on/for either party here. It’s intended to open our eyes & open our ears to grasp where, when & why. To dive deeper into asking your heavenly Father the better questions. Thus enabling Him to do that very thing. Robert, it’s never the ‘elephant in the room’ that’s the distraction! What’s the elephant sitting on you can’t see? Asking the better questions, you’ll begin to see Him go to work. Ask your heavenly Father to come closer. Ask Him to allow you to be more open to not only His presence but also Jesus’s & the Holy Spirits presence, too! You’ve been thinking your prayers would make this simply go away with a snap of the fingers.. & God’s been waiting for a moment like this to bring you closer. Robert, realize you are doing already doing it! You are listening! The evidence is your post here! Every step is necessary! Why, because it enabled God to stir me in responding! He knows you’re ready to have a more intimate relationship with Him!! So congratulations, Robert. Just keep your eyes upon Him! May God bless you on the journey to your destiny. Wishing you all the best, Kim
It’s important to spend time in the Bible. As you look at what God wrote to you it gives you strength. As you begin to see yourself different on the inside, it changes how you act on the outside. The Lord is your strength and He will help you overcome. Blessings.