7 Powerful Bible Verses About Stress and Hard Times
The awakening of spring feels like a rebirth of sorts. The pungent scent wafting from the once-frozen creek bed stirs life in my soul. Today, I’m in the woods with my Bible in search of Bible verses about stress and hard times.
Bible Verses About Stress and Hard Times
If you need encouragement today, I invite you to join me in the woods, and we’ll see what God’s Word says about stress and trouble.
Bible Verses About Stress and Hard Times
1. Psalm 135:1-2
Praise the name of the LORD. Give praise, O servants of the LORD who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. Psalm 135:1-2 BSB
Magnify what is good and right in your life, and you magnify God. You cannot magnify stress and magnify God at the same time.
In every moment, I have a choice. I can magnify my problems, or I can magnify God.
When you feel stressed or worried, turn toward God. Praise him because he is good. You will find that you cannot focus on stress when you are actively praising God.
2. 2 Corinthians 4:17
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17
In the grand scheme of my life, many of my troubles are light and momentary. Even the heavy burdens will be used for God’s glory.
Repeat this verse when life is difficult. The struggles you are facing today are temporary. One day, God will lift these burdens from you forever.
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT
Gratitude lifts our eyes above ourselves. Thankfulness displaces negativity. Even the smallest flame dispels a room of darkness. We’re called to give thanks in everything. The more we count our blessings, the less we keep track of wrongs. Gratefulness and worry simply can’t dwell in the same space.
Even the smallest flame dispels a room of darkness. #Godslight #overcomingdarkness #victoryinJesus #encounteringGod Share on XMore Bible Verses About Stress and Hard Times
4. Psalm 53:6
When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? Psalm 56:3-4 NIV
Our family memorizes a Bible verse every week. This is one of our children’s favorites.
No matter what comes your way today, you can aspeak these words, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you!”
5. Isaiah 41:13
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 41:13 NIV
God is with you. When you face worry and stress, remember that God asks you to reach out for his hand. He will lead you.
6. Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15 KJV
God is a good Father to his children. Cry out to him in times of stress, fear, worry, and anxiety. He hears the cries of his children and wants to give you courage!
7. 2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
When you feel afraid, remember that this spirit of fear is never from God. Instead, stand on the promise that God has given you a spirit of power, love, and self-control. Ask him to help you walk in it!
Let’s Apply These Bible Verses About Stress and Hard Times to Our Lives:
I remember feeling worried and stressed we were expecting our second child. Bekah, our oldest, was struggling with a rare medical condition. All I could think about was how to divide my time between hospital trips for her and caring for a newborn.
My friend reminded me that most of what we worry about will never happen.
But what if it does?
What if the worst-case scenario becomes reality?
How do we overcome worry and stress with God’s help?
Let’s look at three ways to apply these Bible verses about stress and hard times to our lives.
1. We remind ourselves that God is in control, and he is trustworthy.
We can find comfort in the promise that all of our days are ordained before one of them comes to pass (see Psalm 139).
Your story is already written. You are responsible to make wise decisions and avoid intentionally derailing God’s course for your best life. Fulfill your part, and then rest in the fact that this story is written.
God has this. Do the best you can do and trust that God is not fearful about how this will play out. He is in control. Every time worry springs up in your soul, use it as a catalyst to send you running to the arms of the Lord.
2. We trust that God is pursuing us in love even when life doesn’t make sense.
Time and time again, we see the word lovingkindness in Scripture. God’s lovingkindness is often the transliterated word hesed. Hesed is love in action.
Our stories, even the hard parts, are always opportunities to celebrate God’s physical demonstration of love for us, regardless of how these situations unfold.
You cannot worship God and fear at the same time. Open your eyes to watch for how God is revealing his love around you. As you look for God, you will find less space for fixating on fear, worry, and stress.
3. We change the way we pray.
We can shift from worry to hope by redefining what it means to pray with thanksgiving.
A few years ago I faced an entirely unnerving health issue. After about a week of pleading with God as I asked for healing, the redundancy of making the same request day after day started to feel “off.”
I stumbled upon a teaching encouraging me to shift from an attitude of desperation to an attitude of thanksgiving. (To read more about this change in prayer posture, click here.) Desperation conveys fear, worry, and defeat. While there is a time to cry out with desperation, there is also a time to pray with thanksgiving.
I made the shift. Instead of begging God for the same thing day after day, I began thanking God for appropriating my healing, even before I saw signs of its manifestation. I thanked him that he had heard my prayer. Every time worry rose up, I told God I couldn’t wait to see how the healing unfolded. I prayed with excited expectation and gratitude.
Whether God touched my body and healed me without the help of modern medicine, whether he used a doctor to heal me, or whether his plan was for my healing to be complete upon my heavenly homecoming, my healing was a promise. Shifting to an attitude of thanksgiving stripped the fear from my prayers and transformed my fear into gratitude and even intimacy.
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