15 Bible Verses for Travel: Anxiety, Safety, and Uncertainty

After 11 days on the road, we returned home to western Pennsylvania last week.  All in all, the trip reminded me of how to thoroughly enjoy God and his gifts in every situation.  I also pulled out my Bible as I reflected on God’s Word regarding travel.  Today, we’ll look at 15 Bible verses for travel.

At the end of today’s post, I’ll share some practical insights we can learn from traveling.  You’ll also find a free devotional eBook that makes a great travel companion.

15 Bible Verses for Travel

Let’s start by turning to God’s Word.

Bible Verses for Travel: Anxiety, Safety, and Joy

1. Proverbs 16:9

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

Anyone who has traveled knows this is true.  As you prepare to travel, remind yourself that good planning is important; nevertheless, you can plan for months, but some of your plans will be challenged.

Part of embracing travel is learning to release control of every outcome, trusting that humans can plan, but God directs the course.

2. Psalm 139:9-10

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Do you feel anxious about traveling?

Remind yourself that God goes before you.  He is already present at your destination.  He will be with you, and he wants you to trust him to guide you.

3. Mark 16:15

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

No matter where your feet land, you are an ambassador for Christ.

Ask God to open your eyes to opportunities to testify to his goodness.

4. Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

As a good shepherd guides and protects his sheep, God will guide and protect you.  Rest in this truth as you travel.

5. Psalm 91:11

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Did you know that God commands his angels regarding your travels?

Find peace and comfort in this.  You are precious to your Father, and he sends his angels to watch over you.

6. Joshua 1:5

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Before Joshua led God’s people into the Promised Land, God reminded Joshua that he was with him.

He is with you as you travel, too.  Trust that he will never leave you or forsake you.

7. Ephesians 3:20

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.

Expect God to reveal himself in amazing ways as you travel.

He is capable of more than you could ask or imagine.

8. Psalm 91:1

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

God is with you.  Rest in the shelter of his presence.

9. Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Some mishaps will probably take place as you travel.  Whenever possible, laugh at these mishaps.

Focus on what is going right, and ask God to help you take the troubles in stride.

10. Isaiah 26:3-4

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Traveling is always an opportunity to grow in trust.  Trust that God will help you.  He will give you peace.

This is a good verse to memorize and speak in stressful moments.

11. Isaiah 30:21

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

God will direct you.  Ask for guidance and trust that he will show you which way to go.

12. Proverbs 3:6

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, and he will show you the best decisions to make as you travel.

13. Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

God wants you to cultivate joy as you travel.  Ask him to help you look for reasons to embrace joy.

14. Matthew 6:25

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Years ago, on the way to a developing nation, God led me to this verse.  I was worried about my luggage getting lost (it did).  I was worried about finding safe food to eat (I did).  There were many worries.

God reminded me that he would care for me, and he followed through.  God will care for you, too.

15. Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Pray while you travel.  Talk to God when your flight is delayed or things don’t go well.  He is with you, and he will help you.

Let’s now shift gears.  I invite you to join my family as we drove 4,000 miles in our small Nissan pickup truck, and we’ll apply these Bible verses for travel to our actual moments.

Apply These Bible Verses for Travel to Your Trip

Our family recently spent more than 70 hours crammed into a small Nissan Frontier together.  For kids who are 12, 8, and 4, that’s a lot of hours.

Nonetheless, the kids marveled at the majesty of the Tetons and watched Old Faithful erupt in a cloud of steam.  They stood outside the site of their parents’ first date, The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, and they posed beneath Mount Rushmore (Pics are at the end of the post).

We slept in a tent, bathed Aiden in a bowl in the middle of the wilderness, and snuggled into our sleeping bags wearing our hats and winter coats because it was that cold.

Full mornings were spent in the tent when it rained, and the nearest town was an hour away from our campsite.

We went swimming in hot springs and climbed mountains.

The kids sat on a giant jackalope and saw untamed moose, elk, bison, and mule deer for the first time.

As I reflect on it all now, I’m surprised that I mostly remember the good moments.  The experience was a powerful reminder of how to enjoy God by focusing on his goodness.

Enjoy God by Focusing on the Good

Moments that felt like crises are hard to remember in hindsight.  Carsick kids, little boys punching each other, sleepless nights in the tent, deflated air mattresses, and stormy afternoons pale in comparison to the good moments.

I’m trying to apply this same insight to life at home.  I’m trying to remind myself to focus on the good in every moment, and it’s changing the direction of our summer.

We’ve settled in at home again, and I’ve caught up on laundry.

The virus we picked up in Jackson Hole has been passed around the entire family, and we are mostly recovered.

I keep coming back to the importance of focusing on the gifts woven into all of our moments, even the bickering moments and meltdown moments.  Here are the ways I’m reminding myself to keep focusing on the good this summer.  Perhaps these reminders will help you, too.

5 Ways to Apply These Bible Verses for Travel to Your Trip

1. Begin the day by naming three good moments from the previous day.

Every morning, I pull out my journal and name three gifts from the previous day.  I write about meals on the deck, visits with friends, and evenings in the yard with the kids and the dogs.

Focusing on good moments at the beginning of the day prepares my mind to chase beauty and goodness all day long.

2. Enjoy God by stopping in the middle of the day to thank him for his gifts.

I’ve been pausing every afternoon to talk to God for a few minutes.  I thank him for the gifts from the morning.  I ask him what he wants me to know about the afternoon.

This conversation feels like a midday reset, and I need it daily.

3. Slow down to do something whimsical each day.

I’ve been reminding myself to read storybooks under the poplar tree, cook s’mores cooked over campfires, and play Uno at the dining room table.

We just might have the best summer ever if we loosened up and went with the flow.  If we blew up the rafts and went swimming in the creek more often.  If we took time to pick wildflowers, collect stones from the creek bottom, and chase butterflies.

I’m convinced we would.

And we wouldn’t even have to drive across the country to do it.

4. Name your blessings out loud, with someone else, every day.

At our campsite in Wyoming, we gathered around the fire on chilly mornings, sipped hot cocoa, and named God’s gifts from the previous day.  The kids thanked God for everything from averted rain showers to elk sightings.

This discipline in gratitude shifted the mood for the entire day.

5. Enjoy God by ending the day with gratitude.

Before falling asleep at night, I thank God for the gifts from the day.  When my first and last thoughts are grateful thoughts, God does a work in my heart.

Perhaps this is the secret to a life well-lived: Look for everything that’s good.  Chase beauty.  Enjoy God as you slow down and savor his gifts.  They are everywhere.  If only we would take the time to notice.

I don’t know when we will return to the Rockies as a family.  Until we do, I’m grateful for the lessons learned along the journey.

Perhaps this is the secret to a life well-lived: Look for everything that’s good. Slow down and savor God’s gifts. They are everywhere. If only we would take the time to notice. #GodsGifts Share on X

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.

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!

Highlights from the road:

A Free Devotional to Help You Apply These Bible Verses for Travel by Slowing Down

Would you like less stress and deeper peace in life?  Do you want to enjoy God in your everyday moments? I have a gift for you today: My free 21-day devotional Unrushed: Slow Your Pace and Embrace the Fully-Present Life.  This is a powerful journey into a life that is more present and joyful. Click here, and I’ll send this free online devotional to your email inbox!

This post was originally published on June 28, 2023.