The summer I lived in Alaska, we took a ferry through the fjords near Seward. A cloud of mist shrouded the bay like a crumpled quilt as our small vessel inched closer to a mammoth glacier. Without warning, a chunk of ice the size of a small house broke free from the ancient ice field and crashed into the cobalt sea. Our tiny boat rocked and bobbed like a bath toy. Life can be like this sometimes: You’re floating along just fine, and then, suddenly, without warning, you’re holding on for dear life.
You most likely know a thing or two about struggles in life. You’ve navigated your own stormy seas.
Our family has faced a few stormy seas throughout the past years as well, and the following words have carried us through some of the choppiest waters—the waters that seemed like they just might sink the vessel.
3 Bible Verses About Life Struggles and God’s Provision
Save these verses for a rainy day, or hide them in your heart as you walk through today’s storm. The One who calms the seas has not left your side.
1. Life is filled with trouble, but Jesus has overcome the world.
For years, I felt surprised every time life got hard. Finally, I realized that trouble is to be expected. Jesus promised trouble. But he also promised his peace. We find this promise in John 16:33: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
2. We can trust God to lead us.
God hasn’t left us to wander around on our own. When you don’t know which way to turn, cling to the promise in Isaiah 42:6. This verse reads: “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you” (Isaiah 42:6).
3. God is always with us, and we need not be shaken.
Stormy seas in life threaten to shake us to the core. However, by learning to set the Lord always before us—and keep our eyes on Him—we need not be shaken. Psalm 16:8 reads: “I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”
When life is hard, remembering that this world is not our eternal home can offer hope. Here are three additional Bible verses about life struggles and the eternal glory awaiting us all.
3 Scriptures About Eternal Rewards
1. Don’t give up in times of suffering.
God has promised “the crown of life” to those who love him. We find this truth in James 1:12.
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 ESV).
2. Our present sufferings don’t even compare to the glory awaiting us.
We find this truth in Paul’s letter to the Roman church. He writes: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
3. Suffering on earth is temporary. Eternity in heaven is forever.
The Apostle Paul offers this perspective in his second letter to the Corinthian church. He writes: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).
Lastly, remembering that God uses difficulties to shape us into the image of Jesus can help us endure life’s most difficult trials. I leave you with two more verses about God’s purpose in our struggles.
Bible Verses About Life Struggles Being Used for Good
1. Struggles help us develop endurance.
Like athletes pushing through pain in preparation for the big game or event, pain builds endurance in our lives. Romans 5:3 reminds us to rejoice in suffering: “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.”
2. Trials purify and shape us.
God uses our struggles to purify our hearts. Struggles burn off the parts of our characters that are hindering us from abundant, God-honoring lives. Peter writes: “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” (1 Peter 1:7 NLT).
The next time you find yourself navigating on the stormy seas of struggle and uncertainty, cling to these promises. God has not forsaken you. He is still in the boat with you. He has the power to calm these choppy waters at any given moment, and until he does, you can trust that he will use this season for your good and his glory.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Stacey Pardoe
Featured Image by Leonhard Niederwimmer from Pixabay
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