8 Bible Verses for Brokenness, Loss, and Suffering
The first storm of fall comes with gusty gales and breaks loose the brittle branches and untethered leaves. I have a deep sense of my own brokenness as the leaves scatter across the yard, and a question stirs in my heart: If God uses brokenness for good, how do we turn to God and find beauty in the brokenness? Turning to God’s Word, I begin listing Bible verses for brokenness in my journal.
8 Bible Verses for Brokenness
These are the words I write. I encourage you to meditate on these words. Also, be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find comfort in God’s presence.
Comforting Bible Verses for Brokenness and Loss
1. Romans 8:28-29 (AMP)
And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
2. Philippians 3:10 (AMP)
And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did].
3. Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
4. James 1:2-4 (AMP)
Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace]. And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.
5. Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 More Bible Verses for Brokenness and Suffering
6. Isaiah 59:1 (NIV)
Awake, awake, arm of the Lord,
clothe yourself with strength!
Awake, as in days gone by,
as in generations of old.
7. Psalm 84:11 (NASB)
For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
The Lord gives grace and glory;
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
8. Psalm 34:18 (NIV)
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Let’s Apply These Bible Verses for Brokenness to Our Lives
The world tells us to avoid suffering, failure, and brokenness. However, Jesus offers a different invitation. He invites us to embrace suffering, failure, and brokenness.
We cannot become spiritually mature without adversity.
This truth is difficult to swallow, but God’s Word teaches us that God shapes our hearts through trials and troubled times. In this way, there is beauty in brokenness.
According to the book of Hebrews, even Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered.
God Uses Brokenness: Finding Beauty in Brokenness
Let’s look at seven insights about finding beauty in brokenness and ask God to renew our minds regarding troubled times and challenges.
1. God uses brokenness to shape us.
God will use your broken moments to show you where he wants to shape and mold your life. The secret is to keep your heart soft and teachable.
Often, God uses brokenness to remind me of the life he is calling me to live.
I feel broken after losing my patience, yelling at one of my children, or letting my to-do list consume me. In response, God uses these moments to shape my heart (to read more about how to live with less grit and more grace, join me here). In this way, brokenness is always a launching point for growth.
2. God delights in using broken vessels for his glory.
I tend to rely on my own strength to accomplish my goals. This determination served me well for decades, but it didn’t help me grow in dependence upon God.
God’s power shows up when we are weak, not when we are succeeding in our own strength.
I’ve learned that every broken moment is an opportunity to turn to God and watch for his power to be made perfect in my weakness. The same is true for you. Your weakest moments are God’s best platforms for revealing his power.
3. God uses brokenness to lead us into his arms of comfort.
When I keep my heart soft, God uses brokenness in my life to show me just how much I need his everlasting arms to catch me. He uses brokenness to lead me to his open arms and comfort me.
God comforts us in our brokenness so that we can comfort others with the same comfort we have received from him (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
4. God uses brokenness to perform miracles.
Jesus used broken loaves of bread to feed five thousand people.
When we cling to what we think we can control and manage, God lets us hold on. Holding on is also what keeps God from working the next miracle in our lives.
The disciples watched Jesus perform a miracle with the loaves and fish when they were willing to break the bread and give it away. God multiplies what is broken and given away, not what we cling to with clenched fists.
Imagine how this story might have ended if the disciples had decided to hoard the bread for themselves and send the crowds away.
5. Our brokenness reminds us of our need for Jesus.
God used broken fishing nets to challenge the disciples to depend on him rather than their own efforts to meet their needs.
Are you struggling today? Let your brokenness remind you of just how much you need Jesus.
We all need Jesus, and he waits to meet us in our brokenness. We were never meant to navigate life without him.
6. Brokenness often leads us to release our desire for control.
A friend once told me that the sooner I realize I’m not in control, the more freedom I will experience.
Most of us like the idea of being in control. However, God did not design us to steer our lives without him. We were created to live in a relationship with him.
God is inviting you to let go and let him direct your paths. You might be surprised by the freedom you experience when you let go.
God is inviting you to let go of the wheel and let him direct the way. You might be surprised by the freedom you experience when you let go. #surrender Share on X7. God uses brokenness to lead us to the cross.
Jesus suffered every emotion and temptation known to humankind when he lived on Earth.
He then died on the cross to pay for our sins. God used a broken body, pierced for our sins, to provide salvation for all humankind.
Christ’s brokenness on the cross is the gateway to our healing and hope. Because he was broken, we can live whole and healed. Jesus took the punishment we deserve, and he wants to lead each of us into an intimate relationship with God the Father.
Has your brokenness led you to the cross?
If not, ask Jesus to minister to your heart. Humbly admit that you are broken and in need of a Healer. Receive the gift of open access to God the Father through the work of Jesus on the cross.
The storm outside finally relents. It leaves piles of broken branches and spruce needles on the deck. As I clean them up, I can’t help but give thanks for the hidden work that happens in broken places.
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.
Calling 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 Find Peace in God’s Presence
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!
