15 Bible Verses for Depression and Discouragement

The snow was knee-deep when we awoke to another storm, flurries quickly escalating to whiteout conditions.  The long, dark days of winter were taking their toll, and there was no end in sight. We all face long, discouraging seasons when we need God to lift our heads.  Today, we’ll look at 15 Bible verses for depression and discouragement.

I encourage you to soak in these words as you ask God to renew your mind and refresh your spirit.

Before we begin, it’s also important to point out that God uses many different means to heal us.  In addition to reading Scripture, praying, and seeking support from loved ones, pursuing help from a professional can drastically improve our mental health.

If you’ve been dealing with depression that won’t lift, consider meeting with a therapist who can help address the underlying issues as you seek healing.

Let’s now turn to Scripture as we lean into these Bible verses for depression and discouragement.

Bible Verses for Depression and Discouragement

Here are God’s words for those who are struggling with depression and discouragement.

15 Bible Verses for Depression and Discouragement

1. Psalm 34:18, ESV

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

When battling depression, God often seems distant.  During these times, it’s important to cling to biblical truth rather than our feelings.

The Bible makes it clear that God is close when we are hurting.  He wants to deliver and help us.

This truth alone is enough for the darkest days: You might feel all alone, but God has not left your side.  Lean into this today.

2. Psalm 34:17

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

If you are struggling with despondency or depression today, talk to God.  Ask him to help you.  Seek his direction.

He is waiting to help you and wants to lift your head, but you have a role to play.  Is he leading you to seek out someone who can help you, change your daily routines, or get out of bed and do “the next thing?”  We’ll talk about some steps we can take at the end of today’s post.

3. Matthew 11:28

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Jesus offers this invitation to all his followers.  When the burdens of life weigh us down, he invites us to come to him for rest and renewal.

4. Deuteronomy 33:27

The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Years ago, during a difficult time in my life, I was sure I was heading for rock bottom.

Much to my surprise, when I reached my lowest moment, I realized I was not alone.  God’s arms were beneath me, holding me.

God has not abandoned you either.  His everlasting arms wait to catch you as you fall.  He wants you to fall into his loving arms.

5. Isaiah 40:30-31

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Our weakest moments are always opportunities for God to reveal his power in our lives.  If you feel weak today, ask God to reveal his strength.

He can fill you with the strength you need to endure this day.  Claim this promise.

6. Psalm 42:3-5

My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation.

Psalm 42 was written by the descendants of Korah.  This is one of the most emotionally honest Psalms, and it reminds us that we can be honest with God.

In times of depression, God wants us to pour our hearts out to him.  He also invites us to speak to our souls.  The soul refers to the mind, will, and emotions.

We can speak to our souls and remind ourselves to have hope in God.  God is with us always and wants to lead us toward mental wellness.

7. Psalm 94:19

When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

God wants to console his children.

We can seek God’s consolation by turning to his Word and soaking in his promises, just as we are doing as we focus on these words together today.

8. John 16:33

In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

Jesus promised trouble on earth.  He also promised that he would overcome the whole world.

Turn to him in your weakness.  Ask him to show you how to find restoration.  He wants to help you.

More Bible Verses for Depression

9. Romans 8:26

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

When we feel depressed, it can be hard to know how to pray and difficult to find words.

Rest assured that God sees you.

The Holy Spirit is interceding for you with the words you are unable to find.  He is fighting for you.

10. Lamentations 3:22-26

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Years ago, I became so discouraged at work that I wasn’t sure I could make it through another day.  God led me to this verse, reminding me to take it one day at a time.

He reminded me that his mercies would be new every morning.  I didn’t need to muster up endurance for another month or year; he was merely calling me to step into each new day and trust him for that day.

God offers you the same invitation.  He wants to carry you through this day.  Turn to him and trust that he will sustain you. 

11. 1 Peter 4:12-13

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

I spent years feeling surprised every time life became difficult, as if ease and comfort were meant to be the norms in my walk with God.

When God revealed this verse to me, I realized I needed to stop going into “crisis mode” every time life was tough.  Troubles are to be expected.  Life is hard.  But we can endure the hardest times because God is with us.  He uses troubles to mold us into the image of Jesus.

12. 2 Corinthians 1:4-6

Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.

God comforts us in difficult times so that we might offer this same comfort to others when they struggle.

He wants to be your source of comfort today.

Imagine him holding you right now.  Imagine his love washing over you like waves of liquid that flow through every pore, every part of you.  He is your Creator and Sustainer.  He wants to comfort you with his love and show you how to experience strength from his joy (Nehemiah 8:10).

13. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6

For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

We live in a spiritual world.

Evil spirits in the spiritual realm aim to destroy us, and they attack us through our thoughts.

Ask God to help you pay attention to your thoughts.  Cast down every thought that does not align with the truth of Scripture.  God wants to help you come into alignment with his thoughts.  This is why spending time in his Word is so helpful.  God’s Word renews our thoughts and minds.

14. Psalm 40:2

He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

Depression can feel like a pit of despair.

God wants to draw you from the pit.

Ask him to lift you up.  Here are some things you can do to rise above the pit:

Listen to worship music.

Read your Bible

Talk to God in honest prayer.

Get out of the house and spend time with people who energize you.

Care for your body by hydrating, eating well, and exercising.

Spend time outside.

Avoid doom scrolling.

Watch only uplifting entertainment.

15. Romans 8:38-39

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Here is the best promise of all: No matter how low you feel today, nothing can take God’s love away from you.

Rest in this.

God is fighting for you, and his plans for you are good.

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Let’s now take some time to apply these Bible verses for depression and discouragement to our lives.  How do we move forward when we feel stuck?  Here are some practical suggestions.

Applications of These Bible Verses for Depression

Here are five simple ways to begin rising above depression and discouragement today.

1. Add a life-giving activity to your schedule.

When winter starts to get me down, my husband often encourages me to go to the woods on a Saturday afternoon. A long walk in the woods, a little bit of time lingering by a creek, and even an hour in my car with worship music refreshes me.

Would you feel refreshed by spending an afternoon at a coffee shop with a good book, enjoying a long visit with an old friend, or heading out for a day on the ski slopes?  Put it on the calendar.  Taking time to refresh ourselves is important.

What could you put on your calendar that would help you lift your head?

2. Get outside daily.

Even if it’s cold, time under the open sky is refreshing. Stepping outside opens our eyes to God’s creative work.

Scientific research indicates that time outside is good for the body and the mind.  In Japan, they call it taking a “forest bath.”  If you’re feeling stuck, get outside.

Breathe deeply.

Move your body.

Look to the sky and take your mind off yourself for just a few minutes.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and we all need this reminder of his glory from time to time. (Read here for a post about what happens to your body and mind when you spend time outdoors.)

3. Create something with your hands.

Activating the creative part of the brain stimulates energy.

Try painting an inspirational quote on a piece of cardstock and hanging it on the fridge.

Download a coloring page and get to work with your child or by yourself.

Try a new recipe.

For the past ten years, I’ve painted a different room in our house almost every winter. My winter painting projects are immediate countenance boosters.

4. Find someone to encourage.

Proverbs 11:25 reminds us that we are refreshed by refreshing others.

When I’m feeling down, it helps to take my eyes off my circumstances and pray about which of my friends might need a word of encouragement.

Sending a text, email, or a card in the mail will brighten someone’s day, and it will brighten yours as well.

5. Do the “next thing.”

This might sound simple, but when we really feel stuck, getting up and doing “the next thing” creates forward momentum.

Wash the dishes.  Fold the laundry.  Take a shower.

What is the next task that needs to be completed?  Step into it, and you’re moving in the right direction.

Read here for 15 Bible verses for depression and discouragement. God wants to lift your head. #depression #discouragement #hope Share on X

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If these Bible verses for depression and discouragement encouraged you, I invite you to explore our family devotional books and library of free devotional eBooks below.  May you take the first step forward today!

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.

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A Free Devotional to Help You Get Un-Stuck

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!