Scripture for tough times

Worried?

Anxiety is a toxic brew of negative emotions—anger, angst, apprehension, tension, worry, discouragement, fear, nervousness, panic, and fretfulness. Forty million Americans battle it consistently, and everyone faces periodic bouts of this devilish dis-ease—me included. My mind seems predisposed to worry about everything. That’s why I’ve devoted years to searching out the Bible best passages for overcoming anxiety. This isn’t a complete list, of course—one could make the case that every verse in the Bible is a knot in the rope that can lift us from our anxieties—but these are some of the verses that have most helped me. Perhaps one of these six verses has your name on it too.

1. Psalm 94:19: When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy.

The author of Psalm 94 had been targeted by evildoers who were jubilant and full of boasting (verses 3-4). He had been “crushed” by others (verse 5), and powerful people had abused him (verses 5-7). But just when his foot was slipping and he thought he might be dying, God’s unfailing love supported him and God’s consolations brought him joy amid his anxiety (verses 17-19). What are God’s consolations? Among other things, they are the promises we find in His Word, the sense of His presence in our lives, and the endless blessings He gives us. The word “consolation” means “that which consoles.” Our loving Lord consoles us in anxious times like a tender parent holding a frightened child. His consolations bring us joy when things go wrong.

2. Proverbs 12:25: Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

The writer of Proverbs knew from personal experience that anxiety feels like a weight. When we’re anxious, it’s like trying to run in a waterlogged wool coat. We trudge from step to step. There is no countermeasure like a kind word—either from a friend or counselor, or from the Lord Himself in His unfailing Word. Instead of reciting your problems to people over and over, give a trusted friend the short version and ask him or her to give you some encouraging insight or some verse of Scripture—and then focus on the kind word you hear.

3. Psalm 55:22: Cast cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.

I learned this verse nearly a half-century ago when a college friend, seeing me anguish over some problem, suggested I memorize it. I did so, and though I’ve utilized it over and over I’ve never worn it out.

4. 1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for You.

Here is a verse you should read eleven times. It contains eleven words, and each word is worth emphasizing.

•   Cast…. Make a determined decision to toss a heavy weight into someone’s hand.
• Cast all…. The word “all” means there are no exceptions. Nothing is too big for His power or too small for His concern.
• Cast all your… This addresses you personally and it relates to the specific issues troubling you today.
•  Cast all your anxiety…. You can give Him everything else too—your praise, your potential, your opportunities, your gifts, your time. But He especially wants your anxieties so He can deal with them.
• Cast all your anxiety on… Not just in His directions. When you pray, place you burden in His outstretched hands or on His impregnable shoulders.
• Cast all your anxiety on Him… Think of Him who stilled the storm, conquered the grave, overcame the enemy, ascended to heaven, occupies the throne, answers our prayers, and is preparing to come again soon.
• Cast all your anxiety on Him because…. There are logical reasons for us to do this. Peter’s command isn’t based on platitudes but on power.
• Cast all your anxiety on Him because He… Pause and think of Jesus again, for God will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on Him (Isaiah 26:3).
• Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares….  No one ever cares for you like Jesus. He knows every detail of every circumstance and has promised to turn it for good with the redemptive power of His providence (Romans 8:28).
• Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for…. The sentence doesn’t end with cares. The preposition leads to the final wonderful personal word of the sentence.
• Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Put your name in the verse, claim it personally, and rest in its infinite assurance.

5. Matthew 6:25-35: Therefore I tell you, do not worry… Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life…? And why do you worry…? So do not worry…. Therefore do not worry….

These words occur in the middle of Christ’s great Sermon on the Mount. Sometimes it helps to imagine being in the crowd on the mountainside and hearing our Lord’s voice saying, over and over, “Do not worry! If I can feed the birds and clothe the flowers, I can certainly take care of you.”

6. Philippians 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Prayer is the closet where we replace a spirit of despair for a garment of praise. It’s the bank where we present the promissory notes of God’s promises and withdrew endless deposits to grace. It’s the transfer station where the pulse of fear is exchanged for the impulse of faith. This is biblical replacement therapy, and it’s the duty of the child of God to learn how to displace worrisome thoughts with restorative strength through prevailing prayer, and to do it in every situation.

These are some of my go-to passages when I’m worried, and, to me, the last one represents the Bible’s greatest anti-worry passage. In my book, Worry Less, Live More, I write about Philippians 4:6, saying, “Worry makes us feel like we’re being torn in two. What should do that to us? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! The older translations of the Bible say emphatically: ‘In nothing be anxious….’ In a Book of remarkable statements, that one is near the top. Nothing should agitate us because nothing can separate us from the love of a God for whom nothing is impossible. The better we grasp the boundless sovereignty of God, the less we’ll worry about the everyday burdens of life.”

If you are weary and worried today, spend some time with these six truths from God’s Textbook—and add to them. There are literally hundreds of other verses like these, for God has filled His Book with reservoirs of reassurance. Trade your list of worries for a list of biblical promises, and turn to them when anxiety threatens to tear you apart. Quote them to remind yourself of their power. Claim them to restore your soul. Trust them, and you’ll be trusting Him.

Article date: October 10, 2017

Photo Courtesy: ©Unsplash

Robert J. Morgan is teaching pastor at The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, TN, and author of The Strength You Need. For more infomation on his new book Worry Less, Live More, visit his website.

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A week or so ago I put together a massive post with well over a hundred bible verses about money and talked about how we need to make sure that we always put God first in our lives before money – and everything else.

We can easily allow money to become our master, and God can quickly move to the background if we’re not careful.

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24

One thing that occurred to me in the midst of listing all those verses, however, is that I never really touched on a topic that seems to be especially important right now in the midst of a double dip recession when so many people are having a hard time.  The idea of looking to God for strength in the midst of hard times.

Bible Verses About Strength

Today I decided to bring together some encouraging and challenging verses talking about how and where we need to find strength in the midst of turbulent times. I hope you find them uplifting as well.

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Where Do We Find Strength?

Where do we find our strength? In the Lord our God!

Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.

Nehemiah 8:10 Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Exodus 15:2 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him—  my father’s God, and I will exalt him!

Psalm 9:9-10 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 34:10b Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Isaiah 26: 3-4 Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock.

1 Chronicles 16:11  Seek the LORD and his strength;  seek his presence continually!

Psalm 32:7-8 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Exodus 33:14 My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.

Deuteronomy 31:8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Psalm 34:17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.

Isaiah 30:15 In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.

Don’t Worry Or Fear, Find Your Strength In Him

It can be so easy to give into worry, fear and despair, but with Him we can find strength, and look forward to wonderful things.  He gives us hope!

Isaiah 43:1-3 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord you God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Luke 12:25-26 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Philippians 4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 27: 1-3 The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me,it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear;though war break out against me,even then I will be confident.

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Psalm 145: 18-19 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Isaiah 12:2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

God Gives Us A Spirit Of Strength And Power

Through faith in Christ we are given a spirit of power, love and discipline, and for that reason we have nothing to fear.  We can hold onto his promises and be confident that he’ll see us through even the darkest of days.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Psalm 138:3 When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.

Psalm 16:8 I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:1-2 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Psalm 112: 1, 7-8 Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord. They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid.

Psalm 91:1-2 You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God in whom I trust.”

Psalm 112: 1, 7-8 Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord. They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid.

Hard Times May Come, But He’s There With Us Through Them All

Though we aren’t promised an easy life, we are told that Christ will be there with us when we believe in Him, that he won’t give us more than we can handle with His help,  and even our hard times can be used to glorify God.

2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

Philippians 4: 12-13 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation . . . . I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

1 Peter 5: 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Hebrews 4:16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Deuteronomy 31:6,8 Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

 Strength In Christ Our Lord And Savior

As the verses above illustrate, we’re told to call on Jesus Christ, and that he will hear us and give us strength, hope and a grace sufficient to carry us through.  He will be our ever present help when we’re in need, and he can give us a peace that passes all understanding.  For me that’s extremely encouraging.

How about you?  Do you have any favorite bible verses about strength, and where you can find it? Did one of the verses above stick out more than the others for you?  Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Want to find more verses on Strength in the Bible and don’t have your own? Get a free Bible.

• Bible Verses About Money
• Bible Verses About Faith
• Bible Verses About Hope
• Bible Verses About Investing
• Bible Verses of Encouragement
• Bible Verses About How To Get Rich Quick
• Bible Verses About Contentment
• Bible Verses About Thanksgiving & Appreciation
• Bible Verses About Worry
• Bible Verses About Overcoming Adversity, Struggles And Hardship
• Bible Verses About Wealth

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Life is full of twists and turns and sometimes we fall upon hard times. No matter what the circumstance we can rest in the fact that God is always faithful. He will hold us in the hollow of His hand and when we ask, He will help us through the hard times. If you are struggling today, or you know someone who is in hard times, I hope that these 21 uplifting Scriptures will be a blessing.

Featured Verse: Psalms 119:67-68 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes

Cry Out To Jesus

Psalms 3:4 I cried aloud to the LORD,  and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah

Psalm 34:17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psalms 50:15 …call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him,  and he will make straight your paths.

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;  call upon him while he is near

Keep Your Head High and Sing Praises

Psalms 42:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,  my salvation

Psalms 66:17-20 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Psalms 146:5-6 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth,  the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever

Acts 16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Blessings & Deliverance On the Way

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

2 Corinthians 1:10 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.

Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son

Hebrews 6:19-20 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

On the Other Side of the Hard Trial

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Psalms 119:71-72 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Psalms 119:75-76 I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.

Romans 5:2-5 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Sources:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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I’ve been reading in the book in Job. And wow, Job used the word “trouble” frequently! He definitely had reason to do so, as he lost everything he had and his wife wanted him to curse God and die. Things had gotten that bad! While Job is well-known for his trust in God, for a few chapters, he boldly asks the big question to God that we all ask when we just don’t understand.

Why?

I’ve experienced my share of asking God why. I’m guessing that you, like Job, have too.

Tonight as I read Scriptures in preparation for an upcoming event, I wanted to pass on these 15 Bible verse for trusting God in tough times.  Because He is SO trustworthy!

Be encouraged; we may not understand why now, but someday we will.

Until then, claim His Word- God always keeps His Promises.

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! Psalm 20:1

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. Psalm 5:11

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Prov. 3:5&6

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:8

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. Psalm 27:5

Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:4

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. Psalm 86:7

This God–his way is perfect;the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. Psalm 18:30

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. John 14:1

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. Psalm 37:5

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. Psalm 118:8

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Prov. 30:5

Got a verse that helps you trust God in the tough times? I’d love it if you’d share it in the comments.

By his grace,

Rachel

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If you enjoyed this post, you’ll love One More Step: Finding Strength When You Feel Like Giving Up!

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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