What do you say to someone who’s hurting? Often, we reach for familiar sayings that sound biblical: words we hope will comfort. But many of these sayings don’t actually come from the Bible at all. And while they sound encouraging, they can sometimes miss the heart of the hope God really gives.
One of the most common is: “God never gives you more than you can handle.” It sounds comforting, as if God is carefully measuring out the good and the bad and making sure nothing tips the scale too far. But the truth is, that line isn’t in the Bible. And if we’re honest, most of us know that life sometimes does give us far more than we can handle.
Illness. Grief. Financial stress. Broken relationships. These things can leave us wondering how we’ll ever make it through. Even Paul, one of the most important leaders in the early church, admitted that at one point he was “under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure … so that we despaired of life itself” (2 Corinthians 1:8). In other words, he was overwhelmed. What Paul discovered, though, was that when life is too much for us, we don’t have to face it alone. God is ready to carry us, steady us, and give us strength we can’t find on our own.
Another familiar saying is, “God helps those who help themselves.” But that’s not from the Bible — it’s from Benjamin Franklin. And while hard work has its value, Jesus taught something very different: God helps those who cannot help themselves.
The danger with this saying is that it can make people think God only helps the strong, or that if we’re struggling, it must be because we’re not trying hard enough. But the Bible tells us just the opposite. God’s love and help — God’s grace — isn’t a reward for getting our lives in order — it’s a gift for when we can’t.
God’s grace and presence isn’t always easy to see. We may feel God’s presence in moments of peace or wonder, but in life’s struggles, it can be harder to recognize. Often, it comes through the hands and voices of others — a friend checking in, a neighbor bringing a meal, a stranger offering unexpected kindness. If God helps those who cannot help themselves, we are called to do the same. Your call, your listening ear, or a small act of kindness could be the very way God reminds someone they are not alone — and how grace keeps moving in the world.
So if life feels overwhelming, remember this: you don’t have to carry it alone. God is already with you, offering strength, steadiness, and grace for today. In the end, it’s not the familiar sayings that sustain us — it’s the living reality of God’s grace and presence, meeting us where we are and reminding us that we are never truly alone.
