God Will Give You More Than You Can Handle

One of the most striking patterns in Scripture is how Jesus consistently puts His disciples in overwhelming situations—not to discourage them, but to shape them. From the beginning of creation, God has given humans jobs too big to handle on their own. The call to fill and subdue the earth, to shepherd nations, to be His image-bearers—it’s all impossible apart from Him. And yet, in His wisdom, He places us in these roles before we feel fully ready, training us as we go.

We often think we need to be fully equipped before stepping into a calling. But Jesus is into on-the-job training. When the disciples were sent out to preach, heal, and cast out demons, they weren’t given a full playbook or years of preparation. They were thrust into responsibility.

And in that moment, their heart tendencies were exposed: their desire to rely on their own strength, their inclination to get ahead of themselves, their temptation to bypass the process and go straight to success. Sound familiar?

The Wilderness as a Training Ground

Jesus calls His disciples into the wilderness—both physically and spiritually. The wilderness is a place of stripping away, a place where comfort is absent, and dependency on God is the only way forward.

When we are stretched beyond our limits, our temptations surface. Do we believe Jesus will really show up? Do we question His purpose in the struggle? The disciples often walked away from their experiences without gaining immediate insight, but that doesn’t mean Jesus wasn’t shaping them.

This is where we often find ourselves. Maybe we need to act on the revelation of Jesus we already have instead of waiting for more understanding. Maybe the call is not to fully comprehend but to fully trust—to move forward with an openness and expectation that Jesus will meet us in the place of dependence.

There’s a Certain Preparedness That Only Experience Can Give

It’s good to prepare, but the danger is in trusting our preparation instead of trusting Jesus. The same is true in ministry.

There’s a temptation in any church setting to make ministry about ourselves, to hold on too tightly, to believe our success is the goal. But a pastor’s job is to connect people to Jesus and eventually become unnecessary.

The same is true for any leader, mentor, or disciple-maker. When we hold onto our roles too tightly, we make it about us rather than Jesus.

Redirecting Our Gaze to Jesus

When we’re stretched, overwhelmed, and tempted to believe that Jesus won’t really show up, He is inviting us deeper into dependence. A life of missional partnership with Jesus will inherently involve risk. But in those moments, our first job—like the disciples—is to redirect our gaze back to Him.

We need to see Jesus for who He truly is. Not who we imagine Him to be, not who we fear He might be, but as He has revealed Himself.

“Jesus, help me see this situation as You see it.”

That should be our prayer. Because when we see rightly, we can walk rightly. We can embrace the discomfort of dependency, knowing that Jesus is always faithful to provide what we need.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stretched beyond your capacity, unsure if Jesus will show up—pay attention. This might be exactly where He wants you.

Not because He delights in your struggle, but because He delights in your formation. He is making you stronger, refining you like gold in the fire. And through it all, He is with you.