God doesn't give you more than you can handle: helpful or unhelpful?

In the face of a crisis, many people are challenged to find constructive and meaningful ways to engage in conversation and so often they fall back on platitudes. Simple, hopeful, semi-philosophical phrases we have heard in many other situations may sound important to the speaker, but the receiver finds them meaningless and tone deaf. I'm sure you have heard many of these uttered to patients by well-meaning family friends, and even health care professionals: "This too shall pass.""Stay strong.""Think positively.""I'm sure it will be OK.""It is what it is.""God won't give you more than you can handle."  Many in that list are generic, perhaps based off of some quasi-scientific research that a good attitude means you can beat your colon cancer.  But the last one is particularly interesting because it calls upon spiritual beliefs, which can be a strong source of support for the critically ill. I have heard a few chaplains who understand the origin and context of this phrase, criticize the crude application in times of sickness.  I also have worked with chaplains who utilize this phrase to explore and discuss a patient's own religious values. When I hear it in a clinical context, I'm not sure I have explored the deeper meaning, so I was very interested to read this frank rebuttal of "God won't give you more than you can handle" by Pastor Nate Pyle. "Limp, anemic sentiments will not stand in the face of a world that is not as it should be." Pyle explains that t...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - Category: Palliative Carer Workers Authors: Source Type: blogs