All of us go through hard times. You may be going through one right now, or you may have just come out of one. It’s so important to have passages of Scripture to read during those times to find encouragement and hope. But sometimes, in the midst of a difficult time, it’s hard to remember or even think about what to read.
So I compiled a list of five passages that can comfort our hearts during a difficult time. Write them down somewhere, so you have them the next time you need them.
1. Habakkuk 3:17-19
Habakkuk is one of those hidden gems in the Bible. The book is only three chapters long and is a dialogue between Habakkuk and God. God tells Habakkuk of the coming fall of Jerusalem, of God’s judgment on his people who have chosen to turn their backs on him. It’s a dark time in Israel’s history, and it’s about to get worse. And yet, chapter three ends in these verses, some of my favorite verses in the Bible. Though everything seems to fall apart, we can still trust in God’s goodness and rejoice.
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.
2. Lamentations 3:20-23
Lamentations, most likely written by the prophet Jeremiah, is a book of lament or sorrow, written after the destruction of Jerusalem. Babylon came in and destroyed Jerusalem and carried off the people into captivity in a foreign country. This is the same captivity that Daniel and his friends were taken in. It’s interesting to note that Daniel, Jeremiah, and Habakkuk were all contemporaries.
During this book of lament, we find these amazing verses that have stayed with us thousands of years later. Songs have been written with these words; books, art, home decor, and more all quote these famous verses.
I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
The faithful love of the Lord never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
3. I Peter 1:4-7
These words found in I Peter give us comfort regarding trials. Sometimes we get lost in the midst of our trials. We can’t see any way out; we feel like God has forgotten us. These words, written by a man who saw his own share of trials and ended up dying for his faith, remind us that there is joy ahead…after the trial.
And we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
4. Psalms 23, 91, 18
When making a list of the most comforting/encouraging passages in the Bible, it’s impossible not to include the Psalms. There are so many amazing Psalms, so many favorites of mine. I picked just a few of my favorites.
23
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
91:1-4
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
18:29-33
In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall. God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
God arms me with strength,
and he makes my way perfect.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
5. Job 42:1-5
These verses come at the end of the book of Job. Job has been through incredible testing. He lost all of his children, his wealth, his health, and everything he valued. He’s spend the entire almost forty chapters before this asking God what is going on and trying to understand. When God finally talks, he doesn’t explain anything. Instead, he starts a series of questions, effectively reminding Job of who he is and of his sovereignty. The verses below are Job’s response. Job had heard about God before this, but after his trial, he says that he has now seen God. Sometimes it’s only through the hard times that we actually begin to “see” God for who He is.
Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.
You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
The next time you feel yourself feeling discouraged, down, worried, or depressed, choose one of these passages to read. Then add some of your own to the list as well.
More Encouragement
For more encouragement, check out my post, The God Who Sees Me. A great book to read is A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23.
