11 Encouraging Bible Verses About Failure
A sycamore leaf falls into my hand—brittle and tawny, the color nutmeg. The creek unfolds in shadowy shades of black, and I breathe deeply as my cares fall away. Pulling out my Bible, I begin making a list of Bible verses about failure.
I recently failed in an endeavor that was important to me. I need God’s Word to encourage me and help me press forward.
We all face failure, and it can leave us feeling paralyzed and defeated.
Today, we’ll take a closer look at 11 Bible verses about failure. I encourage you to soak in these Words and ask God to illuminate them in your heart. God wants to encourage you.
Also, be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you when you feel defeated.
Bible Verses About Failure
Here are 11 powerful Bible verses about failure.
Bible Verses About Failure
1. Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. ESV
Perhaps you feel like you’re walking through a refining fire.
If so, cling to this promise: God is using this fire to purify you and help you grow.
Affliction is God’s primary tool for helping us grow into emotional and spiritual maturity. We miss the gifts hidden in affliction when take offense toward God for permitting the fires.
Ask God to help you keep a soft heart. He uses life’s failures to transform us into the image of his Son. We grow through failure.
2. Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
God is not done writing your story.
He is not finished with you.
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.
3. Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Several years ago, a close friend asked me to pick a verse she could pray over our family throughout the upcoming year. I was deeply touched by her love and loyalty. Yet, for the life of me, I couldn’t settle on a verse.
As I talked about this with God, I sensed a nudge to ask my friend to pick a verse for our family.
She picked Galatians 6:9.
For an entire year, she prayed these words over our family. Throughout that year, God frequently reminded me to cling to his encouragement in challenging times. I faced setbacks in my writing career and moments that made me question my parenting. Meanwhile, I committed to continuing on God’s path for me.
At the end of the year, I reflected on the many blessings that resulted from simply persevering.
This principle is true for all of us. As we remain faithful to God’s calling, even in times of failure, he promises that we will bear fruit.
4. Isaiah 41:13
For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”
The next time you feel like quitting or feel all alone in a moment of failure, hold onto this promise: The God who made you will hold you by your hand. He has not left you.
He is watching over you, and he hasn’t missed a moment of the journey you are facing. Keep drawing near to him. Continue talking to him and opening your Bible. He is present with you. He wants to encourage you to keep pressing forward.
5. Hebrews 10:35-36
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
Instead of giving up in this failure, ask God to give you endurance. Ask him to show you what you can do to encourage yourself.
This might include reaching out to someone who can build you up, connecting with like-minded friends who can offer inspiration, or calling an older mentor who can speak into your situation.
6. Psalm 118:6
The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?
Do you feel tempted to walk away from an endeavor as a result of a failure?
During these times, God invites you to turn toward him and trust him. When the fear of man is overpowering, remind yourself that you serve God first. He will defend you and stand with you.
7. Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very ready help in trouble.
God invites us to turn toward him and find refuge and protection in his presence. When life feels defeating, run to the Lord. Rest in his love. Imagine him holding you and giving you strength.
He wants to help you in times of trouble and defeat. He can lift your head and give you hope.
8. John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.
We all face trouble in life.
Turn to Jesus in times of trouble and remember that he stands above every power and authority. He fights for you and wants to carry you and defend you.
9. Psalm 34:18
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Never forget that God is with you.
This Psalm reminds us that he is near to those who are brokenhearted and crushed. He wants to be your source of comfort.
10. Job 23:12
I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.
When we learn to treasure God’s Word, he replenishes us and sustains us with it.
As you seek God’s refreshment, continue spending time in his Word. He wants to renew you with his Truth. If you’re not sure where to begin, the Psalms can be a good place to start.
11. Psalm 23:1-3
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
God wants to lead you to a peaceful place in which you trust in him fully. He wants to help you as you fight this battle. What would it look like to create space to rest in his love today?
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If these Bible verses about failure encouraged you, let’s apply them to our lives. We’ll talk about practical ways to overcome failure, fear, and discouragement.
Apply These Bible Verses About Failure to Your Life
I imagine you know a thing or two about feeling like a failure in the places that matter. Maybe you feel like you’ll never find freedom in an area of your life where you feel stuck. (Read more on this right here.)
Maybe you feel like the dream you’ve been chasing will never come to fruition.
If you’re a mom, you might just feel like you’re messing up your kids. (Read more on this struggle here.)
What do you do when these fears arise within you?
Do you pull yourself up by your bootstraps and try harder? Shrivel up and quit trying?
Regardless of your response, there is a very real battle going on when it comes to our fears about failing in life.
The enemy would love to render us ineffective for God’s kingdom by paralyzing us in defeat. He wants us to try so hard that we burn out and give up.
He’d like us to try to prove our worth to the world around us as we attempt to make up for where we think we’re lacking. Meanwhile, God has a better invitation.
How to Overcome Failure With God
By God’s grace, Scripture offers powerful insight on what to do when you start feeling like a failure in your life.
We’ve been talking about failure throughout this post. Often the fear of failure is even more paralyzing than actually failing. Let’s look at three steps to take to overcome our fear of failure with God’s help.
1. Ask God to show you the root beneath your fear of failure.
You might think you’re afraid of disappointing your boss or messing up your kids, but there’s probably a deeper root beneath your fear. Ask God to show you if there’s a hidden root. Spend some time alone with the Lord, and ask him to help you see why you fear failure.
If you mess this up, what do you secretly believe it says about you?
Do you believe your failure will somehow define you?
Do you believe God can’t redirect you if you mess up your life?
Are you afraid of rejection?
Ask yourself these questions to see what is at the root of your fear.
2. Relinquish your fear of failure to God.
Relinquishment is the process of giving God what belongs to him.
You relinquish a fear by imagining the fear has become reality. This step is difficult for most of us. It’s not easy to imagine your worst-case scenario has become reality. However, there is freedom on the other side of this step.
Imagine you do fail. Imagine everything falls apart. Now, imagine God on his throne. Consider how you would survive your failure. You might be disappointed, embarrassed, or even crushed. But you would go on. God would carry you, and you would find a way to press forward.
Ask God to help you trust him. Ask him to help you lean into him and believe that even if you fail, he will continue to direct your life. You might not trust him yet, but ask him to help you build your trust and faith. He will answer this prayer.
3. Overcome the fear of failure with God by planting your feet on what is true.
My human flesh speaks these words about failure:
“You’re such a disappointment.”
“This failure defines who you are as a person.”
“God cannot fix this. You’ve gone too far.”
“You’re not good enough. Why did you even try?”
Scripture offers vastly different insights. Here’s what Scripture says about who you are and what God plans for your life:
“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me” (Psalm 138:8 ESV).
“Nothing will thwart God’s plan for my life” (see Isaiah 14:27).
“I am Christ’s beloved” (see Song of Solomon 2:16).
“He who began a good work in me will carry it to completion” (see Philippians 1:6).
“Nothing can ever take God’s love away from me” (see Romans 8:38-39).
Nothing can ever take God's love away from me (see Romans 8:38-39). #Godslove #fear #failure #victory #faithinGod Share on X~~~
If these Bible verses about failure encouraged you, I invite you to explore our devotional books and free library of devotionals and eBooks below. Be blessed as you lean into God’s love.
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!
A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God
God is a good Father, and he wants us to experience his healing, deliverance, and replenishment. Most of us have learned that we cannot heal, deliver, or refresh ourselves; we need God to do this work within us. 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. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here! 
