10 Scriptures About Trusting God in Difficult Times
I slip into the woods on a Saturday evening as the golden sun kisses the horizon. Sitting on a rock at my turn-around point, I stare at the still water and pull out my Bible in search of Scriptures about trusting God in difficult times.
I feel like I’ve slipped into a bit of a valley lately. There aren’t any life-shattering losses unfolding. Our little family hasn’t huddled over the freshly broken earth of a gravesite lately, but there have been challenges.
10 Scriptures About Trusting God in Difficult Times
There are always challenges.
You have them, too.
They might be so huge you can’t miss them.
Or they might be subtle, like a conglomeration of unfortunate events that piled high enough to weigh you down and push you off the slippery hillside of everyday life.
You want to trust God in the valley. But at the end of the day, when you lay your head on your pillow, your mind spins, and trusting God in the valley doesn’t come easily.
If this is you, hold onto these simple truths today. I also invite you to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook about trusting God in the valleys of life.
10 Scriptures About Trusting God in Difficult Times
1. Romans 5:3,4, ESV
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
In his letter to the Roman church, the Apostle Paul reminds us that we can rejoice in our suffering because suffering produces endurance, character, and hope.
Are you weary from waiting on God? Are you tired of suffering?
God is using this time to help you grow in character and maturity. He will use this time of waiting for your good and his glory. Without the work that is taking place in your heart today, you won’t have the character you need to step into your dream when the time is right.
2. Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
You can rest in the promise that Jesus is with you. He is protecting you, defending you, and loving you. You can trust him to deliver you at the right time.
3. Isaiah 40:31
But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Do you feel weary? Are you tired of waiting?
Keep looking to God.
Wait on the Lord, and he will give you strength.
Additionally, Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us what to do while we wait: We don’t lean on our human understanding or reasoning. Instead, we trust that God’s ways are perfect. We keep looking to him while we wait, and we trust that he will make the way clear for us.
4. Psalm 27:14
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
God’s timing is always perfect. His ways are not our ways, but he will never abandon his children. He also promises to finish what he starts (see Phil. 4:6).
Ask God to give you courage as you endure.
In the meantime, he will show you how to be strong and keep working while you wait.
5. Isaiah 30:18
Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
Remind yourself that God is looking for ways to show kindness and mercy to you. He might seem silent, but this does not mean he isn’t working in your life. Trust that he is arranging the circumstances around you so that you will see his glory when your wait is over. He is never idle.
6. Romans 8:15
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
This powerful verse reminds us that we are not called to walk in fear. Just as a child feels safe with his loving father, we are safe with God.
When fear arises within you, cry out to him. He is a good Father and wants to carry you and deliver you.
7. John 14:27
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.
Do you need peace today?
Take these words to heart.
Jesus wants to cover you with his peace. Ask him to help you exchange fear and anxiety for peace, and he will respond.
8. 1 Peter 5:6-7
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
I appreciate the image of casting our anxieties on God.
When we forcefully throw our worries, cares, and fears onto him, he lifts them because he cares for us.
9. Matthew 6:34
Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Last year, our kids memorized this verse as back-to-school anxiety started to creep in.
We repeated it often throughout the first few weeks of school, reminding ourselves that God was with us. Because God goes ahead of us into the future, we don’t need to fear tomorrow.
10. Deuteronomy 3:22
You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.
This powerful verse reminds us that when we face life’s battles, God fights for us. Do you need God to fight a battle for you today? Ask him to surround you with his protective wings as he fights this battle.
Let’s look at some practical applications of these Scriptures about trusting God in difficult times.
Applications of These Scriptures About Trusting God in Difficult Times
1. You are not alone.
Feeling misunderstood, betrayed, abandoned, or without support leads us to feel alone, and there seems to be little hope for escaping our pain.
The truth for these times is this: “God will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
I generally wish God’s presence felt more tangible. I need to remind myself that just because I don’t see him or tangibly feel him, this doesn’t mean he’s not present.
He walks with me through every valley, and he will never leave me. (Join me here for a post about the biggest lie most of us believe in life’s difficult times.)
2. God can use your pain for good.
God holds the power to use all situations for good in the lives of those who love him.
Our idea of “good” is different than God’s idea of “good.” My idea of “good” is an escape from pain. The words of Romans 8:29 remind us that God’s idea of “good” is to conform us to the image of Christ.
The refining that happens in the valley is painful, but it is for our good and God’s glory.
God uses the valleys of life to make us look more like Jesus. #GodinSuffering #HopeinJesus #valleysinlife #transformation Share on X3. God wants to use your pain to help you comfort others.
God wants to comfort us so that we can comfort others with this same comfort.
If you can remain unoffended, God will teach you in the valley. He will also comfort you. These are his gifts for you. He wants you to comfort others in the same way he comforted you.
The hard breakups of my teen years later enabled me to mentor teens walking through the same trials.
The difficult days of my pregnancies helped me to comfort friends going through the same struggles.
The challenges at my job gave me empathy to encourage others who are in difficult situations in the workplace.
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Don’t give up hope. You are not alone. Keep clinging to the One who won’t leave you alone in the shadows.
Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention, All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
Your Free Devotional Book
I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. This short devotional will help you find replenishment in Jesus’ presence. You will find insights for breaking destructive habits, experiencing God’s presence, in fresh ways, and overcoming doubt and insecurity. Find it for free here.
