We mean well, don’t we?
But sometimes our attempts to say something spiritual actually come out unbiblical, or at a minimum, not very helpful.
Here are the five I hear the most …
1. “It was a God thing.”
We say this to give God credit for something He has done and to deflect any attention from ourselves.
The problem, however, is that biblically, no single event is ever a “God thing.” Rather, all things are by Him, through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:15-20).
To say something was a “God thing” seems to draw lines of distinction between what God is and is not involved in that Scripture itself does not draw.
I rarely hear anyone use this phrase when speaking of a particularly difficult or trying or devastating circumstance. We generally apply it only to the victories. The truth is, all of those are His things.
2. “God showed up in the end.”
We say this to put the power of God on display—to show that His will was accomplished and He came out victorious.
The problem, however, is that it represents pretty narrow thinking on our part. The truth is that God doesn’t just show up for us in the end—He walks with us from the very beginning.
Faith doesn’t just celebrate the outcomes of God’s involvement in our issues, it learns to see and savor His presence in the midst of them.
It demands we trust Him in the process, no matter the outcome, believing that whatever He may allow to unfold, He has both orchestrated from the beginning and planned to be glorified through in the end.
3. “God will never give you more than you can handle.”
We say this to encourage people who are going through difficult circumstances and to assure them they are strong enough to handle it.
The problem, however, is that this passage (1 Corinthians 10:13) actually teaches there will be times we find ourselves in situations we can’t handle, and that in those times the only way out is through Him.
God’s intent in this is never to push us away from Him, but always to pull us into greater depths of intimacy with Him, so that we might know on an entirely new level that His grace is sufficient for us and His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
