There are seasons in life when it feels like the world is against us. This can feel incredibly disheartening. We may even wonder if there is any hope. No matter what your circumstances are, these Bible Verses for discouragement will help you to find strength and inspiration to keep going.
I’ll never forget how discouraged I felt when my second daughter was in the NICU (you can read her story here). Although I was never diagnosed with depression, there was a long season of sorrow and sadness that I needed to fight through.
When you are dealing with discouragement, whether that be from a job, loss, or a circumstance that is out of your hands, it’s comforting to know that others have walked this road before you. That’s why I compiled all my favorite Bible Verses from my season of discouragement, to give you hope to overcome it.
The BEST Bible Verses for Discouragement
Discouragement can bring on so many other feelings as well; fear, anxiety, worry, sadness, and hopelessness (just to name a few). I hope that these verses give you the comfort you need to find peace, joy, and contentment in your circumstances.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Tademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
1. 2 Chronicles 15:7
"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
2 Chronicles 20:15
"He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s."
3. 1 Samuel 16:7
"But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”"
4. Psalm 18:30
"As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him."
5. Psalm 20:13
"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
6. Psalm 27:13-14
"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."
7. Psalm 34:17-20
"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken."
8. Psalm 55:22
"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous be shaken."
9. Psalm 147:3
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
[Here are my favorite HEALING Psalms for Anxiety]
10. Ecclesiastes 3:1
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:"
11. Isaiah 40:31
"but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
12. 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."
13. Isaiah 42:15
"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them."
14. Isaiah 43:1
"But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."
15. Isaiah 61:3
"and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor."
16. Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
17. Lamentations 3:25
"The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;"
18. Matthew 11:28
"“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
19. Matthew 28:20
"and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”"
20. Luke 1:79
"to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”"
21. John 16:33
"“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”"
22. Romans 8:28
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
23. Romans 15:13
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
25. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
25. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
26. 2 Corinthians 5:7
"For we live by faith, not by sight."
27. Galatians 6:9
"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
28. Ephesians 3:17
"so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love"
29. Philippians 4:19
"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."
30. 1 Peter 1:6-9
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
31. 1 Peter 5:10-11
"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. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."
My Thoughts…
Going through a season of discouragement can feel incredibly hard and lonely. I remember the months after bringing my daughter home from the NICU and feeling so discouraged that my life would never feel normal again. All I wanted was for God to take my daughter’s heart condition away, I thought that would fix it all.
It’s been one year since finding out my daughter has CHD and I’m grateful to say there is hope. Life may not always look the way WE wanted it to. But when we surrender our plans to the Lord, we know that He is working everything out for the good of His kingdom.
The reason we are on this earth is not to live out our dreams, but rather to glorify the Lord and live out His story.
I hope these Bible Verses for discouragement help you to find hope and peace in this time. No matter what you are going through God has a purpose and reason for your circumstance. Continue praying, meditating over these verses and asking God for true healing.
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