podcast link below:
https://anchor.fm/beth-madison/episodes/A-bigger-shovel-e18krpl
Exodus 14:14. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.
Psalm 147:5 Great is the Lord and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.
Jeremiah 32:17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you”
“God will never give you more than you can handle” and other such lies require a bigger shovel than this soil scientist can handle (pun fully intended here). Also, this soil scientist knows well that such lies require digging deeper than with just one blog post. (Stay tuned, more to come on this in future blog posts and books to be in publication soon. If you want to make sure and not miss any of these, please sign up to follow the blog with your email.) Nonetheless, here I am with a little truth that will hopefully be a huge help to you today – the truth is that nothing is or ever will be bigger than God.
Nothing.
Not even that diagnosis, disease, or defeat. Not even that lost child, spouse, or job. Not even that disappointment, depression, or denial. Not even that unknown, un-understandable, or unconquerable.
There is no opinion, opposition, oppression, or overwhelming odds that God has not already overcome.
Nothing.
I may not see His victory, but I can rest in knowing that He has done it. He is there at the end of the war and here with me in the battle. And He’s not going anywhere in either place.
The easy choice would be to believe the lie that God would not put in my life that which would be more than my strength or abilities. Yet the everlasting choice is to believe the truth that God will do what is for His glory and the good of His people, independent of my strength or abilities. Similarly, my disabilities can show Jesus in His glory and goodness in ways often or easily hidden by my strength or abilities (see 2 Corinthians 12:10). For choosing contentment in circumstances bigger than me shows Christ to others in ways that can’t be duplicated or dug out, no matter how big a shovel someone may have.
For ultimately, it’s not my strength or abilities that will succeed. God has already prevailed.
He has already conquered death, hell, evil, and anything that tries to set itself up against Him (see Romans 8:2).
Nothing remains undefeated, except my God.
Here’s a firm grip on the truth – “God will never give you more than He can handle”.
There is nothing that God can’t handle because there is nothing bigger than God.
Only His love is deeper, wider, longer, higher, and farther than anything (see Romans 8:38-39).
And there is nowhere He and His love don’t or won’t go to rescue you or me, including a pit I’ve dug for myself with a shovel made of lies. No matter how deep the pit or big the shovel, God is able to redeem and renew.
Psalm 30:2-4 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!
Reflection prayer:
Dear Father God,
Thank You that nothing can stand against You. Thank You that You are the Almighty One. Thank You that You choose to put me in places where the only thing I can do is to rely on You. Please help me to believe and to live the truth that nothing can separate me from Your love. Please help me to trust You for the strength and faith to hold fast to You in situations in my life bigger than me.
In the strong Name of Jesus,
Amen.
Written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2021.
Soul Scientist 