Life-Changing Scripture About Leaning on God in Tough Times
Dawn breaks beneath a bitter chill today. The sparrows don’t seem to mind. They chatter at the feeder while their Maker dabs the world with tufts of white lace. I watch from my spot by the window as I search for Scripture about leaning on God.
Winter is beginning to wear on me, and we’ve only just begun. I have a feeling I’m going to need some strong words to carry me through the long months to come—months when leaning on God will be the secret for pressing forward.
You might not be worn down today, but a time will come. A time will come when you need an anchor. I pray these words will help you hold fast when the world wears you down. . . .
Scripture About Leaning on God:
1. You can lean on God because he will never leave you.
Does it feel like God has abandoned you?
Cling to this promise today: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
God will never leave your side. Everything else might fall apart, but you can find peace as you lean into the presence of Immanuel, the God who is with you.
2. You can lean on God because he is near when your heart is broken.
Sometimes it feels like God has left us when we’re reeling with grief and sadness. Cling to this Scripture about leaning on God when your heart is broken:
“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:17-18).
3. Lean on God by reminding yourself of your glorious future with him.
When the brokenness of the world weighs me down, I remind myself of my eternal future with God.
As believers, a glorious future awaits: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).
4. Lean on God by blessing his name—even when you are hurting.
Are you hurting today?
Follow Job, who fell on the ground and worshipped God in the aftermath of losing all he had. Worship in the midst of heartache is a difficult sacrifice, but it is also a powerful step toward healing.
Job blessed God in his despair with these words: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).
Bless God in your troubles, and you will change the atmosphere surrounding you.
5. Lean on the Lord as you put your trust in him.
Does it feel like your suffering will never end?
Cling to this promise: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).
God wastes nothing. He won’t waste your suffering. Keep a soft heart. Ask him to help you trust him. And wait for him to restore you. He is our Healer, Restorer, and Deliverer, and he is not slow in keeping his promises.
6. Don’t be surprised by this trial.
Jesus reminds us of the following truth about trouble in life: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
We will all face trouble. But we don’t need to despair. Jesus has overcome every trouble, and he empowers us to endure every trial.
Leaning on God When Life Is Interrupted
This last verse is what my heart needs most on this sunny January day: It seems I’m surprised every time life brings trouble. I hunker down and call it “crisis mode.”
All the while, Jesus promised there would be trouble.
We live in a broken world, and those of us who live longer than a few years will stand over gravesites and hospital beds. We will face difficult futures, sadness, and loss.
We tend to see trials as interruptions to our actual lives, but what if we learned to expect trials and be ready to run to Jesus when they come?
We tend to see trials as interruptions to our actual lives, but what if we learned to expect trials and be ready to run to Jesus when they come? #TrustingGod #Trials #HopeinJesus Share on X
What if trials are God’s instruments to shape us to look more like Jesus—the vessels that lead us closer to his heart of love for us?
I’m reframing it this winter as I remind myself that the King of the world is right beside me as I struggle through the season.
He has experienced every human emotion and suffered every grief we have experienced.
He gets it.
He gets us.
And all the while, he holds out nail-pierced hands, and he offers us peace.
Peace in the midst of our sadness.
Peace to carry us through the valleys.
The peace of knowing he goes with us.
A Free Devotional Filled With Scripture About Leaning on God:
I have a gift for you today. Hope for Hard Days is a free 10-day online devotional to help you hold onto hope when life is tough. You will find 10 readings to help you connect with God and claim his peace. Click here and I’ll send it to your email inbox today for free with promo code HOPE.
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