Encouraging Words - Pt 8

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 ESV). The eighth encouraging word is that God is always faithful; He always provides a means of escape. In our reading today, Paul has given us an extremely powerful three-fold source of encouragement for times of temptation and trial. It should be noted that the word translated "temptation" actually has a broader sense than our English word "temptation" usually carries. By "temptation" we generally mean "being tempted to sin." In the Greek, however, the meaning is bigger. It does include the idea of being "tempted to sin." But it also includes the idea of "time of trial" or "time of testing." The word is peirasmos. It encompasses all manner of temptation and trial. First, He tells us that there is no trial that we may go through but such as is "common to man." There are times when we feel that no one can possibly understand what we are going through. We feel that we may not be able to make it, because we're enduring what no one else has had to endure. God is saying, in essence, "I know that what you are going through is very hard. I know it may seem unbearable. But you need to realize that others have gone though very similar trials. I enabled them to get through it. I will get you through it too!" He helped them. He will help me. Secondly, God assures us in this verse that He will not allow us to be tested "beyond your ability.” How often we feel that we have reached the end of our rope—when we really haven't. How often we feel that we can endure no more—when we really can. You see, God is the One who knows us better that anyone else possibly could. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how much we can bear. And He promises that He will never allow that much testing to come our way. Finally He promises that He "will provide the way of escape." There are those times of trial when there seems to be absolutely no way out. Whether it is in this world or the next, God has insured that the ultimate way of escape has already been provided in Jesus. It is not easy to remember how limited our vision is when we are staring horrible circumstances in the face. It is not easy to remember that we have a Father who is bigger than any horrible circumstance could ever be. It is during these times when we must force our gaze away from the circumstances and onto God. As Peter Lord has said so well, "Most of us tend to gaze at our circumstances and glance at God now and then. We need to reverse that. We need to gaze upon God and glance at our circumstances." It is during times like these when we must cling to His promises knowing that however bleak the circumstances might be, He will certainly see us through!