Life is filled with ups and downs where some seasons are marked with laughter, while others are heavy with grief and hardship. Every believer walks through valleys, but fortunately the Bible does not leave us without hope. In fact, scripture points us again and again to the truth that joy can be found even in the hardest moments. These ten Bible passages will remind us that our trials are not wasted, our tears are not unseen, and our savior is near!
Psalm 34:17-18 – The Lord Draws Near to the Brokenhearted
Psalm 34:17-18 (ESV)
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
David knew the pain of being pursued, betrayed, and misunderstood, but even so, in Psalm 34 he reminds us that the Lord hears the cries of his people. These verses assure us that God is not far off in our suffering, but near to the brokenhearted, tenderly saving those crushed in spirit. The presence of the Lord brings a kind of joy that circumstances cannot take away. Though our tears may be many, God’s nearness becomes our comfort and strength.
Key takeaway: God’s presence brings joy even when our hearts are heavy.
Reflection question: How have you experienced the nearness of God while in the midst your pain?
Practical application: Take time today to cry out honestly to God, trusting that he hears and draws near to you.
Psalm 126:5 – Joy Beyond the Tears
Psalm 126:5 (ESV)
Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!
Psalm 126 celebrates God’s restoration of his people after 70 years of Babylonian exile. The people’s joy was so great that it felt like a dream come true! While the waiting may feel long, this verse reminds us that seasons of tears are not wasted and that God promises that sorrow will eventually give way to joy. Just as a farmer plants seeds and prays for rain, our tears may water the ground for future rejoicing. What feels unbearable now can one day become the source of praise.
Key takeaway: God turns seasons of sorrow into seasons of joy.
Reflection question: What painful season in your life might God be using to grow future joy?
Practical application: Write down a past hardship where God eventually brought joy, and thank him for that faithfulness.
Isaiah 41:10 – Strength in God’s Hands
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
In Isaiah 41, Isaiah spoke to a people who felt weak and afraid, reminding them of God’s promise to uphold them with his righteous right hand. This assurance does not erase difficulties, but it does give us courage to face them. As we realize that we do not carry our burdens alone, that the God who holds the universe also holds us securely, we find that God’s strength is enough when our strength runs dry.
Key takeaway: God’s strength sustains us when we feel powerless.
Reflection question: In what area of life do you need to rest in God’s strength today?
Practical application: Pray this verse aloud, inserting your own struggle, and ask God to uphold you with his right hand.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 – Rejoicing in the God of Salvation
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV)
Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
In Habakkuk 3, Habakkuk paints a bleak picture: no crops, no livestock, and complete loss of security. However, in the middle of that devastation, he declares joy in the Lord! His confidence is not rooted in circumstances, but in the God of salvation who never changes. This is a powerful reminder that joy is not tied to abundance, but to the faithfulness of God who saves his people.
Key takeaway: True joy is found in God, not in circumstances.
Reflection question: Are you tempted to tie your joy to things that can be lost?
Practical application: Take time to thank God for the unchanging gift of salvation, regardless of today’s struggles.
John 16:33 – Take Heart in Christ’s Victory
John 16:33 (ESV)
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus spoke these words from John 16 to his disciples. He did not hide the reality of tribulation, but instead, he offered something greater: peace in him. We can be assured that since Christ has overcome the world through his death and resurrection, we can face our own trials with courage, knowing that the victory is already won. The battles that rage around us are only temporary; God will win in the end!
Key takeaway: Christ’s victory gives us joy and peace in the midst of trials.
Reflection question: How does knowing Christ has overcome the world change the way you view your struggles?
Practical application: When worry rises, speak this verse aloud as a reminder that Christ is victorious.
Romans 5:3-5 – Rejoicing in Suffering
Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Paul writes in Romans 5 that Christians can rejoice even in suffering. While on the surface, this seems senseless, we are assured in this verse that God uses trials to produce endurance, character, and hope. Hardship becomes a tool in the hands of a loving God, shaping us into people who reflect his grace more deeply. This process may be painful, but it is never wasted. Our joy comes as we embrace the knowledge that God’s love is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, anchoring us securely in hope.
Key takeaway: God uses suffering to grow endurance, character, and hope.
Reflection question: How have past trials shaped your character and deepened your hope?
Practical application: Journal one way God is using a current difficulty to grow you spiritually.
Romans 8:18 – Future Glory Outweighs Present Suffering
Romans 8:18 (ESV)
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 shifts our focus from present pain to future glory. Paul, who suffered greatly, declares that nothing we endure now can compare to what awaits us in Christ. This eternal perspective can bring us joy, even in the midst of tears. While our trials often feel too heavy to bear, the promise of glory with Christ far outweighs the cost and our joy grows as we cling to the certainty that the best is yet to come.
Key takeaway: Future glory gives us joy that outweighs present suffering.
Reflection question: What future hope in Christ encourages you to endure today’s hardships?
Practical application: Meditate on heaven this week and let the promise of glory lift your perspective.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – Fixing Our Eyes on the Eternal
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 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.
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul reminds believers that even as the body weakens, God is renewing the inner self daily. Temporary affliction cannot compare to eternal glory! This eternal focus is what keeps us from losing heart and allows us to fix our eyes on what is unseen and lasting, helping us to discover a joy that carries us through every season of hardship.
Key takeaway: Eternal glory outweighs temporary suffering.
Reflection question: Where are you tempted to focus more on the temporary than the eternal?
Practical application: Pray each morning this week for God to renew your inner self day by day.
James 1:2-3 – Joy in Testing
James 1:2-3 (ESV)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
In James 1, James calls believers to a surprising response: to count trials as joy. While this may seem counterintuitive, testing strengthens our faith, producing steadfastness. Rather than crushing us, difficulties can deepen our reliance on God and grow our perseverance. As we mature in our faith and begin to see trials through this lens, we can face them with a joy that springs from trust in God’s refining work.
Key takeaway: Trials grow steadfast faith that leads to joy.
Reflection question: How might you view your current trial differently if you saw it as a way for God to strengthen your faith?
Practical application: When faced with frustration or difficulty today, pause to thank God for how he may be using it to grow you.
1 Peter 1:6-7 – Joy in Refined Faith
1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV)
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
In 1 Peter 1, Peter encourages suffering believers to rejoice, even in grief, because trials refine faith like fire purifies gold. He assures us that a tested and genuine faith is far more valuable than any earthly treasure, ultimately bringing glory to God. A naive look at this may make us think that joy comes from the pain itself, but as we mature, we will see that the joy actually comes from the assurance that God is using it for a greater purpose. We may not know this purpose as soon as we might like, but we do know that it will be revealed fully at the return of Jesus.
Key takeaway: Trials refine faith and bring glory to Christ.
Reflection question: How might God be refining your faith through present hardships?
Practical application: Pray for endurance and a heart that rejoices in God’s refining work during your trial.
Reflective Prayer
Consider using these verses to pray using the ACTS method: Adoration, Confession, Thankfulness, and Supplication:
- Adoration: Praise God. Do these verses bring any specific characteristics of God to mind?
- Confession: Tell God that you are sorry for specific sins. Do these verses bring any specific sins to mind?
- Thankfulness: Show gratitude towards God. Does anything from these verses inspire gratitude?
- Supplication: Make requests for yourself and for others. Does anything from these verses inspire a prayer?
If helpful, you can use a prayer journal template.
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English Standard Version (ESV): Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
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