5 Inspiring Bible Verses About Discouragement
It’s a brisk autumn morning with lacy frost whitening the lawn. It’s been a discouraging season here, and I am worn out. As I stare at the never-ending to-do list, I realize I could use a few Bible verses about discouragement.
This fall has been marked by big bumps along the usually smooth road of our lives, bumps that make us step back and appreciate the simple things of life, bumps that make us grateful to still be here together laughing and crying and kicking soccer balls across wide spans of green grass.
Bible Verses About Discouragement
I stare into the hazy coral firmament, lost in thought, when a question comes to mind.
It’s the question God asked Adam in the Garden of Eden after they ate the apple: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).
This question doesn’t loom like an accusation. It simply invites me to step outside the momentum of my day and honestly assess what’s driving my life.
On this morning, frosted windowpanes soaking in the dawn’s first rays of golden sun, I admit to the Lord exactly where I am.
Golden sunbeams fall like grace upon my face. As I lean into the arms of the One I love, I receive the truth that he loves me exactly where I am. He also promises to shine light on each step of the path in front of me (Psalm 119:105).
Some of us are afraid today.
Some of us are filled with regret, sorrow, grief, pain, and dismay.
God offers grace for all of these things. He simply asks us to come. He calls us to draw near and trust that the one who began the work within our hearts will complete what he started (Philippians 1:6).
Before we encourage our hearts with today’s Scripture, I encourage you to draw near to God. Pour your heart out to him. Tell him exactly how you’re feeling. The process of talking to him will begin to lighten your load. When you are done, come back to soak in a few Bible verses about discouragement today.
Bible Verses About Discouragement
If you are feeling discouraged today, hold onto these Bible verses about discouragement and struggles:
1. “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1 NASB).
The Lord’s arm is not too short to save you, no matter how far you have fallen. Hold onto this truth in your most discouraged seasons. When you begin to feel like you just might sink, lift your eyes to the One who holds the power to immediately reach out and save you.
2. “I am the Lord, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over you” (Isaiah 42:6).
In the darkest seasons of my life, I have cried to the Lord from the lonely pit of isolation. Friend, when you feel all alone, hold onto this promise: the God who made you will hold you by your hand. He has not left you.
Are you passing through deep waters?
3. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you” (Isaiah 43:2).
Do you feel like you’re drowning? Does the refining fire feel too hot? Cling to this promise: God has not left you to drown, and he can pull you out of the refining fire in an instant. Notice this verse does not tell us God will always dry up the waters or put out the fires; instead, he offers a better promise: his presence with us.
4. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
The Lord will continue to illuminate the path in front of you. Just take it one step at a time, sweet friend. And when you start to wonder which direction to take, turn back to the Living Word. Open your Bible and find the encouragement and direction you need in times of discouragement. The light is in the Word.
5. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
Friend, God is not done writing your story. He is not finished with you. Lastly, hold onto this Bible promise when you feel discouraged. God will finish what he starts in your life. Your role is to trust him as you continue to put one foot in front of the other, one day at a time.
A Final Question for Your Discouraged Heart:
I close with a question today: Where are you?
This is not a question about where you’re pretending to be. It’s a question for the silent moments of the day.
Is your heart hurting? Do you feel discouraged?
Will you trust the Lord to meet you in that place? He already sees. He is present. It’s for your sake that he poses the question. Will you let him step in and work within the deepest parts of your discouraged soul?
Will you let the Lord step in and do a work within the deepest parts of your discouraged soul? #discouraged #Godencouragesus #encounteringGod Share on XA Free Devotional Filled With More Bible Verses About Discouragement:
Are you ready for a fresh breath of hope to help you through a difficult season? My gift to you is my free online devotional Rays of Light for the Dark Days. This devotional offers inspiration and practical encouragement to help you through life’s trials. It is yours here.
Calling all moms and daughters—and parents of boys!
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 14, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or grandparents to read with the children they care about.
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength is for boys ages 5-13. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to courageously carry God’s love into the world. Written with input from our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven, this book will help the boys you care about find courage and strength in God. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Devotionals for Girls
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.
All three books are available in print and eBook form here on Amazon. 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!
