As to be expected in our imperfect world, there are times that come when things aren’t going exactly the way we hoped. And other times, it can feel like our lives are in shambles. Each person experiences their own degree of pain, their own level of heartbreak. Fortunately for us, we are not alone in these times! God promises to never leave us or forsake us, and he has provided us a tremendous amount of encouragement in the Bible to remind us that there is hope in Him. Here are 3 scriptures to memorize, storing them in our hearts for times when we need encouragement. 

Isaiah 26:3

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

This verse is so simple, it’s easy to breeze by it. But what a simple yet wonderful promise to keep in our heart! No matter what is happening in your life, if you are a child of God, you know that he is in ultimate control. Whatever you are currently enduring, He has allowed… and He has not left you to walk in that alone. So we must choose to trust, to know that “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28) These are unsure times, (aren’t they always!) but we must not let our lives be characterized by anxiety and worry due to focusing our eyes only on what is seen in this world. We must instead put into practice looking upward, focusing our eyes on Jesus and His purpose for our lives so that we can walk in confidence knowing His plan is at work in our lives! 

James 1:2–4 

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

This verse is a little bit longer and may take a bit more effort to memorize, but there is such a tremendous amount of value to meditating on this scripture in times of trouble. The verse starts off by saying “WHEN…” so the first promise of this verse is that you WILL see troubles! But take heart, because even these troubles are an opportunity for joy. For “your faith is tested…” It’s not hard to have faith when everything is sunshine and rainbows! Some of the times in life you see God work the most are when you are relying on Him for provision. Whether that be financial provision after a job loss, or provision of understanding after a sudden loss of a loved one, these are times when we feel the need of our Savior the most. In growing this endurance by drawing near to God, we are perfecting our faith in Him. As we do this, it becomes our first inclination to cling to that faith as our stabilizing force when life seemingly goes off of the rails. If we are firmly rooted in our faith, there is not a storm powerful enough to remove us from our purpose in furthering the kingdom of God. 

Matthew 6:33

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Hearing that all of our needs WILL be provided for has got to be the most comforting and encouraging promise imaginable! But we must not belittle our end of this bargain: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously…” Before we define what qualifies as a need, we need to qualify ourselves. Are we serving God or ourselves? Is our primary interest in spreading God’s truth, or are we doing more to spread the world’s truth? Any area of life that we feel is lacking could very well be a sign from God to realign our priorities with His. And as far as needs go, are these needs or comforts? Are we experiencing problems with any of our necessities due to living beyond our means? This verse should be a comfort to every believer while also serving as a reminder– to make sure we are stewarding all of our blessings well. 

These three verses have the same underlying message–keeping our minds on God will keep our peace. As long as our eyes are fixed on Him, and we are living our lives in pursuit of Him, He will sustain us in spite of any calamity that comes our way. I pray you will store these verses and others in your heart, and be encouraged! Whether your life is in a season of calm or turmoil, God is working in your life with the ultimate goal of bringing you closer to Him. 

With an encouraged heart, 

Haley