The saying goes, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” In other words, we need to maintain a positive, can-do attitude if we hope to succeed amid hardship. Optimism is what it takes to make the bitter, sweet… and the awful, enjoyable.
There is no better way to remain optimistic as a Christian than to put our trust in God and the word of His Holy Scriptures. Bible verses keep us grounded, give us hope, and will never fail us when we need them the most. Even when we feel unworthy or fall short as believers.
Furthermore, bible verses encourage us, give us direction, and help us make difficult decisions. We can read and meditate on them as a powerful weapon to combat anxiety, frustration, fear, stress, and all other forms of negative opposition as we persevere through hard times.
37 Bible Verses About Perseverance Through Hard Times
1. 2nd Thessalonians 3:13
“And as for [the rest of] you, believers, do not grow tired or lose heart in doing good [but continue doing what is right without weakening].”
2. 1st Corinthians 13:7
“Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].”
3. 1st Corinthians 15:57-58
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].”
4. Galatians 6:9
“Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap if we do not give in.”
5. James 1:12
“Blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] is the man who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted; for when he has passed the test and been approved, he will receive the [victor’s] crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
6. Hebrews 12:1
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us….”
7. Romans 5:3-4
“And not only this but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance;”
8. Romans 12:10-12
“Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor; 11 never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord; 12 constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength],”
9. Revelations 3:10-11
“Because you have kept the word of My endurance [My command to persevere], I will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole [inhabited] world, to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly. Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown [by leading you to renounce the faith].”
10. Mark 13:13
“You will be hated by everyone because of [your association with] My name, but the one who [patiently perseveres empowered by the Holy Spirit and] endures to the end, he will be saved.”
11. Psalms 138:8
“The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me; Your [unwavering] lovingkindness, O Lord, endures forever— Do not abandon the works of Your own hands.”
12. Revelations 2:10
“Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. Be aware that the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested [in your faith], and for ten days, you will have tribulation. Be faithful to the point of death [if you must die for your faith], and I will give you the crown [consisting] of life.”
13. Luke 21:19
“By your [patient] endurance [empowered by the Holy Spirit] you will gain your souls.”
14. James 5:11
“You know we call those blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] who were steadfast and endured [difficult circumstances]. You have heard of the patient endurance of Job, and you have seen the Lord’s outcome [how He richly blessed Job]. The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”
15. Colossians 1:22-23
“Yet Christ has now reconciled you [to God] in His physical body through death, in order to present you before the Father holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 [and He will do this] if you continue in the faith, well-grounded and steadfast, and not shifting away from the [confident] hope [that is a result] of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which [gospel] I, Paul, was made a minister.”
Yet Christ has now reconciled you [to God] in His physical body through death, in order to present you before the Father holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 [and He will do this] if you continue in the faith, well-grounded and steadfast, and not shifting away from the [confident] hope [that is a result] of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which [gospel] I, Paul, was made a minister.” – Colossians 1:22-23
16. Hebrews 10:36
“For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised.”
17. Ephesians 6:18
“With all prayer and petition, pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God's people.”
18. Acts 14:21-22
“They preached the good news to that city and made many disciples, then they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening and establishing the hearts of the disciples; encouraging them to remain firm in the faith, saying, “It is through many tribulations and hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God.”
19. 2nd Timothy 4:18
“The Lord will rescue me from every evil assault, and He will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
20. 1st Peter 5:7-8
“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.”
21. 1st Corinthians 9:24
“Do you not know that in a race, all the runners run [their very best to win], but only one receives the prize? Run [your race] in such a way that you may seize the prize and make it yours!”
22. 1st Corinthians 16:13
“Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong.”
23. 1st John 2:18-20
“Children, it is the last hour [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming [the one who will oppose Christ and attempt to replace Him], even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us [seeming at first to be Christians], but they were not really of us [because they were not truly born again and spiritually transformed]; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out [teaching false doctrine] so that it would be clearly shown that none of them are of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One [you have been set apart, specially gifted, and prepared by the Holy Spirit], and all of you know [the truth because He teaches us, illuminates our minds, and guards us from error].”
24. 1st Timothy 4:16
“Pay close attention to yourself [concentrate on your personal development] and to your teaching; persevere in these things [hold to them], for as you do this, you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”
25. Proverbs 4:25-26
“Let your eyes look directly ahead [toward the path of moral courage] and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you [toward the path of integrity]. 26
Consider well and watch carefully the path of your feet, And all your ways will be steadfast and sure.”
26. Psalms 107:9
“For He satisfies the parched throat and fills the hungry appetite with what is good.” –
27. Isaiah 46:3-4
“Listen to Me,” [says the Lord], “O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, you who have been carried by Me from your birth and have been carried [in My arms] from the womb, 4 Even to your old age I am He, and even to your advanced old age I will carry you! I have made you, and I will carry you. Be assured I will carry you, and I will save you.”
28. Lamentations 3:22-24
“It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindness that we are not consumed because His [tender] compassions never fail. 23They are new every morning; Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion and my inheritance,” says my soul; “Therefore I have hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him.”
29. Ephesians 3:20
“Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us.”
30. Philippians 4:13
“I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.].”
31. 1st Corinthians 2:9
“But just as it is written [in Scripture], “Things which the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him [who hold Him in affectionate reverence, who obey Him, and who gratefully recognize the benefits that He has bestowed].”
32. Hebrews 10:23
“Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word];”
33. Psalms 71:5-6
“For You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my trust and the source of my confidence from my youth. 6 Upon You have I relied and been sustained from my birth; You are He who took me from my mother’s womb, and You have been my benefactor from that day. My praise is continually of You.”
34. 1 Chronicles 16:11
“Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually [longing to be in His presence].”
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35. Hebrews 3:14
“For we [believers] have become partakers of Christ [sharing in all that the Messiah has for us], if only we hold firm our newborn confidence [which originally led us to Him] until the end,”
36. Psalms 23:4-6
“Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil; My cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.”
37. Isaiah 40:29
“He gives strength to the weary, and to him who has no might He increases power.”
Final Thoughts on 37 Bible Verses About Perseverance Through Hard Times
Holy scripture never said that hard times wouldn't come, but that we have what it takes, through Christ, to persevere and not give up. As we persist and team up with God, we will see ourselves standing on the other side of our hard times, living victoriously and not as victims.
As we navigate the landscapes of loneliness, despair, depression, anxiety, and other rough mental and physical terrains, the bible reminds us that we never have to go through the hard times in life alone. God is there to be our comfort, refuge, strength, help, and deliverer in whom we can put our utmost trust.
And if you want more inspirational bible verses, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 41 Bible Verses about Living with Anxiety & Fear
- 27 Bible Verses About Valuing Your Self-Worth
- 41 Bible Verses About Finding Happiness & Joy in Life
