Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Have you ever heard the expression, “God will never give you more than you can handle?” If so, I have some bad news for you. This expression is not based on the whole story. It's often attributed to 1 Corinthians 10:13 which says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” Note that this verse is addressing temptation and God's provision for us to overcome it.

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It is not addressing the sufferings we face in this fallen world. In fact, the Bible even further suggests that our sufferings may be insurmountable. For example, Paul was once so overcome with hardship that he wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:8, “...We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.” So, if you're suffering great trials and tribulations in life, I'm sorry to say that they just might get worse.

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Wow, what a bummer of a devo huh? Again, I'm sorry. But, be encouraged. To quote beloved radio personality Paul Harvey, you're about to read “the rest of the story.”

We have an awesome God. We have a loving God. We have a God who desires a deep relationship with us. We have a God that not only understands what we’re going through, His Son lived it in the flesh. And this is good news, very good news. Our trials and tribulations are not of God, but of us. We are the sinners, yet God makes us a promise.

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So, what does God, the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth, who never tires or wearies, whose understanding no one can fathom, promise? He promises He will sustain you. He will give you strength. He will increase your power to overcome. He will make you “soar on wings like eagles, and you will run and not grow weary, you will walk and not be faint.”

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I've always liked the comparison that God sustaining me is akin to soaring like an eagle. Such freedom there must be in that. Way up high with an eagle's sharp eyes you can see what's ahead, behind, above, below, to the left, and to the right. Way up high on an eagle's strong wings you can soar over obstacles and effortlessly let the breeze sustain you midair. Way up high with an eagle's noble white mane of wisdom, powerful talons, and sharp beak you're equipped to overcome your enemies. And though I know God is everywhere, way up high where eagles fly feels closer to God.

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The Bible is rife with verses on God's promise to sustain you. Today's verses are some. Here's a couple more:

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"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."   (Psalm 34:18)

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“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Deut 31:6)

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I encourage you to find others.

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So, what happened to Paul? Remember how discouraged he was in 2 Corinthians 1:8? That wasn’t the end of the story. Paul goes on to say in verses 9-10, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”

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You see, God doesn’t want us to be overcome, He wants us to rely on Him to overcome.

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He wants us,

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to want Him.

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So, take heart. Rejoice in the Lord. Praise Him. Thank Him. Worship Him. Call out to Him. Pray a Psalm to Him. Confess to Him. Ask Him to guide your feet with wisdom and strength. Give Him EVERYTHING. He's got you and will never desert you. He will navigate you through any storm. He's prepared a place for you in His house for all eternity. He is the creator of the universe, sovereign, almighty, omniscient, all powerful, and abounding in perfect love. All authority on earth below and heaven above belongs to Him. He will sustain you. And He longs for relationship...

...with you.

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And now you know, “the rest of the story.”

Hear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. In my days of trouble, I call to you. I have not the strength. But you Lord will sustain me. You promise to lift me high on wings of eagles. You promise to give me strength; that I will run and not grow weary. I will glorify your name forever for great is your love toward me. You lift me from the depths of the grave. You are my God, and I am your servant. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, I lift up my soul. There is none like you. You are my God. You are my redeemer. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and answer me. Amen.