What We Need, When We Need It

Maybe you have known someone who was going through a hardship, and you thought, I could never handle that. Right now you couldn’t. But if God allowed you to face something like that, then He would give you the strength you need when you need it.

Or maybe you’ve thought, I could never resist that temptation. But if the Lord allows you to be tempted, then He will not give you more than you can handle. As 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."

The apostle Paul had his thorn in the flesh. We don’t know what it was, but it was some kind of physical infirmity that he had after he was caught up and saw the glories of Heaven (see 2 Corinthians 12:7). Some believe it was something that happened as a result of one of his beatings or stonings or whippings. Others believe it may have been a physical disability. Whatever it was, he asked the Lord to take it away three times, and God effectively said no. And each time God told him, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness" (verse 9).

When we are facing adversity in our lives and ask God to take it away, sometimes He will say yes. But there are also times when He will say, "No, but I am here with you, and I am going to walk with you through it."

God always will give us what we need, when we need it. So don’t worry about what may happen later.