8 Encouraging Verses to Guide You Through Life

“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” (Isaiah 40:31).

I love the reminder in this verse that we can renew our strength in the Lord. Like a runner who is tired and thirsty, we can rest in the word of God, and take strength from Him to get up and keep training.

As an athlete, the idea of running and never growing tired has always been appealing to me. That’s a supernatural strength, and something that I often yearn for. Isaiah reminds us in this verse that God can and will give us that strength to keep going, if we just lean into Him.

In the moments when you are tired, when you don’t feel like a faith warrior, or when you just don’t see how you can keep going – turn to Isaiah 40:31.

2. A Verse for Patience

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

As the old saying goes, “patience is a virtue.” But it’s one that we often struggle with. In an age of instant gratification and same-day delivery, it can be frustrating to wait on a God who sees time – and timing – differently than us. This verse in Hebrews reminds us that, in faith, we can wait patiently for God to do all that He has promised.

This verse was a lifeline for me after I graduated from college and waited to get a job. And waited. And waited. And was rejected. Over and over again. Maybe you’ve found yourself in a similar place of waiting, or maybe you are there right now. This verse encourages us as we think about the most basic promises of God – that he cares for us. In faith, I can trust that He won’t leave me destitute. I couldn’t see His plans for my life, but I could trust that He would work it all out in the end.

In the moments when you are stuck in a painful season of waiting, or when you feel like God has forgotten about you – turn to Hebrews 11:1.

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“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Peace. Don’t we all wish we could have more peace? After a year of a pandemic, political turmoil and unprecedented loneliness and anxiety, peace is something the world desperately needs. But the peace the world offers will never truly satisfy.

I love this verse because of the way it paints God. I often struggle to share what is bothering me with others, worrying that sharing my pain will hurt them too. But our God is strong enough to not just carry the pain with us, but to take it all on His shoulders. He cares for us. He loves us. And He doesn’t want us to live with constant worries and anxieties.

In the moments when you are worried about the future, or despairing at the broken state of our sinful world – turn to 1 Peter 5:7. Give those fears to God, and let Him handle it.

4. A Verse for Renewed Faith

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Every day is a new opportunity. And when Christ has a hand in your life, you can be confidant that He is always at work. You may not obviously notice the ways that He is working on you, but God is never idle. Every morning when we wake, it’s a new chance to glorify Him, to grow, to see the ways that His steadfast love for us never ends. Through every high and low, God remains faithful to us. If we have fallen away from Him, He is always ready to welcome us back in the morning, in repentance.

I love this verse because it reminds me that I can never fall too far away from God. In the hymn “Come Thou Fount” there’s a line that says “prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it for thy courts above.” We all sin, and we do it often. But God’s love for us never comes to an end. His mercies are new every morning for us.

In the moments when you feel ashamed, forgotten or anxious – turn to Lamentations 3:22-23. Remember how much God loves you, enough to send His Son to die for the sin that plagues us.

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“To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:20-21).

In high school, my pastor shared this verse with me when I complained about a classmate who had been bothering me. I put it on a sticky note in my locker, and honestly I could probably use it now on another sticky note on my car’s dashboard! How this verse contradicts our earthly nature. When we are wronged, our first thought is often revenge. From lobbing unkind words back at a school bully, to cutting off the driver in the other lane, we seek a broken form of “justice.”

Paul’s advice to us is quite the opposite. Be kind and loving to those who hurt you. They won’t understand why you do it. But it gives them a glimpse of the unconditional love of God. For who are we to condemn others, when we ourselves are already forgiven? How much more, then, should we love and care for others who hurt us.

It’s a tall order, I know. But in the moments when you feel angry or wronged, when you are tempted to think revenge is a righteous, godly anger – turn to Romans 12:20-21. Take a deep breath, and pray that God would soften your heart to choose love, not anger.

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“Stay with me; do not be afraid, for he who seeks my life seeks your life. With me you shall be in safekeeping" (1 Samuel 22:23).

As a book nerd, I love seeing literary connections, foreshadowing and parallels. And when we look at the Bible as a whole, we begin to see that every page, from Genesis to Revelation, is pointing towards Jesus Christ. The characters we know and love – Adam and Eve, King David, Ruth and Boaz, Noah, Paul – all show glimpses of Him. This video by Dan Stevers explains how all of these characters point to a “true and better” leader – Jesus.

I love this verse from 1 Samuel because it reminds me of this fact. The speaker here is David, on the run from the evil King Saul. But if you didn’t know that, you could easily think it is Jesus speaking. The enemy is pursuing us, but with Christ, we can find safety. To be sure, David was a sinful man and he doesn’t give us a perfect image of Christ – but he reflects Him in many ways. We see this all throughout the Bible, from Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice, to Jonah spending three days in the belly of the whale.

In the moments when you need to be refreshed on the Gospel and how long God’s plan stretches – turn to 1 Samuel 22:23 (or all of 1 Samuel actually). Take some time to read familiar stories, and see how all of them point to our need for a perfect Savior. Jesus doesn’t just show up for the first time in Matthew. We see Him foreshadowed all the way back in Genesis.

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“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

There are so so many verses in the Bible that show us God’s unending, pure, unconditional love. A few of them are listed here. But I love this verse in Romans because it sums up the Gospel so well, and reveals to us how deep God’s love runs.

God sent Christ, His Son, to earth for us. Jesus stepped down from Heaven, becoming human and enduring the trials of everyday life for us. He willingly went to the cross, taking the sin of all humankind for us. All of this was done out of a love that we can barely fathom. And, as this verse in Romans reminds us, He did it for those of us who were still in sin. We didn’t seek Jesus’ sacrifice; we wouldn’t have asked for it if given the chance. But He knew what we needed.

In the moments when you need to be reminded of just how much God truly cares for you, turn to Romans 5:8.

8. A Verse to Remind You to Give God Glory

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Have you ever stopped to think about this verse? Can we really glorify God through … anything? Can we give God glory while sleepily eating breakfast? Can we give Him glory while sitting in the school drop off line? Can we give Him glory while walking the dog, and watching TV, and ordering coffee?

Yes.

Paul reminds us in this verse that we are never off the clock. But rather than stress us out, that should excite us. Every single moment is a chance for us to thank God and glorify Him. He’s the one who provides our breakfast, and our families, and our hobbies and passions and chores. He has put us in this spot right here for a purpose, and we can thank and glorify Him in all of it.

In the moments when you feel bored, like every day is the same as the one before, turn to 1 Corinthians 10:31. Why has God put you in this place, and how can you use what He’s given you to honor and praise Him?

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These are just a few of my favorite verses, but I hope they have encouraged you, and maybe jogged in your memory some of your own favorite verses! It’s important for us to remember God’s Word and allow it to guide us through life. Deuteronomy 11:18 reminds us to “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.”

Take some time to think on these verses I’ve listed, or some different verses that stand out to you. Why are they important to you? What do they teach you about God? How can they guide you in your day-to-day life?

Now find a sticky note, write those verses down, and put them somewhere you will see them and be reminded of this goodness.

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