"For the present he wanted me to nestle, not wrestle." - Elaine Brown, Living With Depression
An illusion we often give ourselves is that we are strong enough to face literally any battle. "God will never give you more than you can handle", we say. We picture ourselves as these brave warriors, practically invincible. If God is involved, it is merely as a guide or a helping hand. Then things start to get difficult. We find a struggle we can't handle. A battle we can't win. So we ask, am I sinning in some way as to deserve this punishment? Has God abandoned me? Does He even exist?
But the picture the Bible paints of God is not of some distant ally who fights in our wars if we pay Him enough. It paints Him as a great leader and a Father. We are not fully grown eagles equipped to face the world alone, but are instead mere chicks. Sometimes, there will be things we can't handle. When a huge predator comes after a chick, the chick doesn't try to tackle the predator, it hides under its parents' wings. The adults deal with the predator. Similarly, there are challenges we face where it is better for us to just take a step back and rest safe in the knowledge that God will cover us with His wings.