"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
Lest we think that our sinfulness makes resisting temptation futile, God counters the truth of our proclivity towards sin with the truth that we do not have to sin. This second truth is both shaming and encouraging. We are shamed by the truth of this verse because it tells us that, as Christians, we never sin because "we cannot help ourselves." God never allows temptation to come our way if it is too strong for us. He knows what we can handle (which is more than we usually know), and he does not allow temptation to go beyond that level. Therefore every sin that a Christian commits, he selects to engage in it. Furthermore, none of us face a peculiar temptation that exceeds the level of temptation that is common throughout all people everywhere. It may take a different form, but essentially, it is the same sin. Others choose not to engage in it, and we do not have to indulge either.
Thankfully, the shame of our past sins, unnecessarily chosen, should give way to confident joy a resolve when we consider the faithfulness of God. He knows our limits and gives us means of escaping sin. We may have grown disconsolate, thinking there is no point. We may have failed so many times that we consider just giving up. But God tells us not to. He will never put you in a situation that is more than you are capable of handling. He is absolutely faithful in this.
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