Life is hard. So, where do you turn for help? Where do you find encouragement in the hard times of life? In this post, you’ll find my top 10 Bible verses for trusting God in difficult times.
These are the verses I turn to when I’m facing tough situations and I know they’ll help you, too! You’ll also find my prayers related to each Scripture you can pray to claim God’s promises over your life and ask for God’s help when life gets tough.
Where Do You Turn When Life Gets Hard?
What’s your go-to when life hits with its full force and knocks you down?
- Do you reach for a phone and call your mom, your sister, your best friend?
- Do you head to Google and lose yourself searching for answers?
- Do you put a favorite song on replay and lean into familiar melodies that speak to your heart?
- Or, do you go first to prayer and scripture, recalling the promises why you can trust God in hard times?
In different seasons, I’ve answered “yes” to each of those options, but as I’ve grown in my faith I’ve learned that scripture and prayer work the best.
>> God is more available and more of a comfort than your best friend.
>> God is wiser than Google.
>> God’s peace which passes all understanding comforts and soothes better than any song or salve.
>> God’s promises are stronger and more powerful than any earthly solution.
Top 10 Bible Verses for Trusting God in Difficult Times
Prepare in advance for those hard times, because they will come. God promises we will face troubles in this life, but he also promises to walk by our side through it all. So, be ready. The scriptures below are some of my favorites, my go-tos when life gets hard. Take these to heart, memorize them, write them down, and keep them at the ready. When you’re facing hard times, pull out these scriptures and prayers as your go-to, and let God carry through.
Promise #1: God loves you.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)
Jesus, I need you. I’m weary and the burdens are great. I’m not sure how much more I can bear. Will you help carry these burdens for a while? Can I come to you and walk by your side? I need your rest for my soul, your comfort for my heart. For I know you are gentle and loving, kind and compassionate. You will lead me and show me the way. You will carry the burden and fill my soul with rest in you. Thank you for how much you love me. Amen.
Promise #2: You can trust in God and his plans for your life
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)
Lord, I know you have a plan for my life, but I can’t see it right now. The path ahead seems dark and unknown. I’ve been trying so hard to make my own way, to fix my own problems, but nothing I do seems to work. So, I’m putting my trust in you. I’m trusting in your plans, even though I don’t understand or see them. I’m trusting in you to lead me and make a path before me. For you are wise and all-knowing and can do all things. Amen.
Promise #3: You don’t need to be afraid
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.
“All who rage against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing and perish.
Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all.
For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you. (Isaiah 41:10-13 NIV)
Almighty God, your scriptures repeat these words “do not be afraid”, yet I so often am. You say “do not fear”, yet fear threatens to overtake me some days. So, I will place my trust in you, knowing you are by my side no matter what. You take hold of my right hand and whisper in my ear, “do not fear, do not be afraid”. For I know my help comes from you alone and you will strengthen me and protect me. Stay by my side and hold my hand. Amen.
Promise #4: You don’t need to worry.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you— you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34 NIV)
Father, you are the Great Provider, the One who looks after all of your creation. Help me to remember that includes me, too. The world tells me I need to provide for myself and solve it all myself, yet you are the One who provides. I do not need to worry, for you love me and provide for me. Worry is only a thief and an enemy. I will instead pour my energy into drawing nearer to you, trusting in your great provision for my life. Amen.
Promise #5: This is God’s fight, not yours.
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. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17 NIV)
Almighty Lord, your power and might are great. You showed your faithfulness to your people time and again. Help me to remember you are faithful to me, too. Though the battles seem like mine to fight, I am claiming your promises over my battles. That these are not mine to fight, but yours. I trust that when I step out and take up my position, you will go before me and win the battle. I will not be discouraged or afraid. I will trust in you. Amen.
Promise #6: God is by your side and will give you strength
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
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. (Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV)
Jesus, I’m weary and tired from this battle. My feet are stumbling and I don’t know how much longer I can carry on. Give me strength. Renew my hope. Fill my soul with your rest. Restore and revive me so I can continue on and run this race with perseverance. For you promise that those who place their trust in you will renew their strength and soar on wings like eagles, will run and not grow weary, will walk and not be faint. Amen.
Promise #7: This is only a season. These hard times will pass.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV)
Lord, remind me this is only a season. For every time there is a purpose and I will not be in this storm forever. This storm will pass and the sun will shine again. For there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to be silent and a time to speak. Though this may be a time of difficulty, a time of peace and joy may be around the corner. I will trust in your time and your plans. Amen.
Promise #8: God will make all things new and bring beauty from these ashes
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
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. (Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV)
Heavenly Father, you who makes all things new and brings beauty from our ashes: bind up my broken heart, proclaim freedom over my life, and release me from my darkness. For you are the One who promises to comfort those who mourn and bestow upon me a crown of beauty, oil of joy, and a garment of praise. You will turn my despair into rejoicing. For I will put my trust in you and believe in your promises of hope. My suffering will become a testimony to your greatness and faithfulness. Amen.
Promise #9: God is more powerful than anything you’re facing
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26 NIV)
Jesus, I so often limit myself to what is humanly possible. I sometimes forget that you are greater than any human constraint, more powerful than any force on this earth. For even the winds and waves obey your command. When I feel weak and limited, I will put my trust in you and remember that your power is limitless. When my problems feel impossible, I will hand them over to you, for whom all things are possible. Amen.
Promise #10: Pray and be filled with God’s peace which passes understanding
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7 NIV)
Heavenly Father, hear my prayer. When life gets tough, I will come to you in prayer instead of worrying. When I’m uncertain and afraid, I will come to you in prayer and trust you for strength and direction. When I am in despair, I will find hope in you. For you are gentle and provide a peace which passes understanding. For even when times are hard, I will rejoice in you and praise your name forever. I will come to you first and trust in you. Amen.
How Will You Trust God in Hard Times?
How will you turn to God when life gets difficult? How will you trust God in the hard times?
Hold onto hope! Trust that God is by your side and will carry you through this season.
This is my favorite song right now – one I have on repeat – and one that echoes and reminds me of God’s promises. Hope it encourages you, too!
Linda Stoll says
Amen, Kathryn. Sometimes the only thing we have to hang on to is God Himself. And then we realize He’s all we were yearning for …
Kathryn says
And He’s all we need.
Kathy says
Sorry about air conditioner and Utube . I will still be praying with you off my E mail but I really like praying with your face and voice. I hope day able to get it worked out
Maggie Earle says
High Kathryn
I am really loving the prayers and scriptures that you send every week. I get excited to see what you come up next. God surely has his way of working through his people in order to get through to others. I just want to say thank you, keep it up and God bless you.
Maggie
Nana says
I prefer the reading of your blog instead of UTube. I can read your messages on my phone when I am in the car traveling, but I can’t watch the UTube videos when I am traveling. I don’t know why UTube terminated your contract but I did hear that they were taking down a lot of Christian messages that is shared on UTube. Sorry about you air conditioner too. I pray that you can get this one fixed; maybe it is just low on Freon.