“Toilet Paper Moments” by Justin March
“For my thoughts are
not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Isaiah 55:8-9“The Lord himself goes
before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do
not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8“My flesh and my heart
may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26“If my people, who are
called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their
sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14“He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3“As the mountains
surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.”
Psalm 125:2“Do not be anxious
about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6“Peace I leave with
you: my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let
your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27“He has made
everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11“Now faith is
confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1“Have I not commanded
you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the
Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9“Therefore do not
worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.” Matthew
6:34“I sought the Lord,
and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4“When anxiety was
great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” Psalm 94:19“For I am convinced
that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor
the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all
creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39“Humble yourselves,
therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast
all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7
You know that phrase, “God will never give us more than we can handle?” In the
book, “Following the Master” by Dr. Scott Ness, he writes that we are lying to
ourselves, and each other, when we proclaim this statement. The phrase Dr. Ness
says we really should be using is, “God will never give us more than He can
handle.”
Wow! Now how about that for a different perspective! As I read the
contradiction of these statements many times this week, it became apparent that
Dr. Ness knocked this one out of the park! God knew we would be a broken
humanity. He knew we would be ruled by fear, arrogance, and self-doubt. He knew
we would be selfish in our thoughts and actions. He knew the storms would blow
us off our feet. And he knew we would fall into the pits of depression,
anxiety, and pain. He did not expect us to “handle” everything this world would
throw our way, but He did expect us to have faith that He could “handle” it for
us.
You see, we tend to break our lives into “Toilet Paper Moments.” We fall into
the trap of thinking the trials and tribulations we are experiencing today will
last forever. We panic, we become irrational, and we forget that God has
everything under control. We forget to ask for help, we forget that “this too
shall pass,” and we forget to let go of the reigns and put God at the helm. And
when we react in this fashion, there is no way we can think “God will never
give us more than we can handle.”
As you read the Bible verses above, and so many more like it, there is
something important you need to recognize. None of them say WE will be able to
handle what comes our way. None of them say WE will be able to weather the
storms. And none of them say WE have everything under control. In fact, using
the word WE steals glory from Christ himself and makes us forget that HE is the
only reason we get through anything!
So, try training your language to look like this. Have faith that HE will get
you through anything you may face in this life. Give thanks that HE is always
by your side and will never forsake you. Remember that HE forgives us more
times than we deserve, so we should forgive others as HE does for us. HE loves
us more than we could ever understand, and we should be constantly trying to
love others as HE loves us. And finally, never forget that HE made sacrifices
we could never understand to save us from ourselves.
My friends, God is always giving us more than WE can handle. He wants us to
have faith in HIM and follow HIS lead. HE wants us to understand that we will
never be perfect and that we are merely apprentices in HIS amazing dance. And
HE wants us to remember that HE has everything under control, but WE are to
have a part in helping others understand this amazing message.
Stop living life in “Toilet Paper Moments.” God never promised it would be
easy, and God never promised the ride would be smooth. But as you read the
verses above, HE did promise that HE would always have everything under
control. So, do not be afraid to ask God for a few “squares.” Ask Him to wipe
away the smears, stains, and unclean moments that keep you from being the
disciple He needs you to be. And then, allow Him to flush away the guilt,
shame, and anger that hold you back. We will never be able to handle everything
this life throws our way, but if we remember to pray, forgive, and ask for
guidance, there is nothing God cannot handle for us!
