Are you looking for something to help you hold on to hope? Life gets hard, and it can be difficult to keep trusting God. Thankfully, our Creator understands both the trouble and the struggle. He knows what we are facing, and he never expects us to venture through this broken world alone. Along with his steady presence, he provides the powerful and reliable resource of Scripture.
Because the Bible is such a treasure trove of hope-filled verses, I had trouble narrowing my selection down for this post. I decided on 40 verses to share because many scholars believe God uses the number 40 to emphasize times of hardship or testing (more detail here). As I worked on the list, different verses would replay in my mind day and night, encouraging me in ways this world cannot. I pray they will encourage you too.
Here are 40 verses (sorted into 4 categories) to help us keep a firm grip on the lasting hope that comes from God:
Hold on to hope by trusting God’s care and protection
God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present; he is the blessed controller of all things (1 Timothy 6:15). He understands everything about us and our lives, rules over every situation, and uses all things for good in his master plan. Even when God feels distant, he is near and working to provide the comfort, security, and strength needed. In times of discouragement, let these hope-filled verses remind you to trust God’s care and protection:
(1) But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
(2) But you, O LORD, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
Psalm 3:3
(3) God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1
(4) As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.
Micah 7:7
(5) Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1
(6) For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.
Psalm 91:11
(7) You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.
Psalm 119:114
(8) So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.
Deuteronomy 31:6
(9) Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
(10) The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
Psalm 121:7-8
Hold on to hope by believing in God’s goodness and love
God IS pure goodness and love; there is nothing evil about him or his will for our lives. Since his nature is only good and loving, then all his plans, actions, and results must be as well. Merciful and forgiving, he cares for our needs and never gives up on us. He accepts us as we are–imperfect beings with sin and flaws. He lovingly guides us and strengthens our character through life’s ups and downs. When you feel alone and helpless, use these hope-filled Bible verses to stay focused on God’s character and abilities:
(11) The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!”
Lamentations 3:22-24
(12) Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
Psalm 10:17
(13) When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
Isaiah 43:2
(14) For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
(15) So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.
Hebrews 6:18-19
(16) Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
(17) Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
1 Corinthians 13:7
(18) For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.
Zephaniah 3:17
(19) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
(20) And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
Hold on to hope by honoring God’s timing and ways
God is constantly at work, reshaping our character to be more like Jesus–the only perfect, sinless human. Through the Holy Spirit, we are given new perspectives about life and what is important to focus on. When hardships come our way, God will not always just fix things or do what makes us happy. Instead, he often uses trials to change our character, bring us closer to him, and even deepen the faith of others. His timing and ways are often not what we expect or what we can comprehend; they are part of a higher plan, a perfect plan for our long-range good. When you need to persevere, let these Bible verses help strengthen your hope in God’s timing and ways:
(21) “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
(22) And we 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
(23) Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!
Psalm 42:11
(24) Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
Hebrews 10:23
(25) Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.
Psalm 62:5-6
(26) But I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more.
Psalm 71:14
(27) We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Romans 5:3-5
(28) Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.
Romans 12:12
(29) Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Romans 15:4
(30) And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Philippians 1:6
Hold on to hope by anticipating God’s blessings here and in eternity
When we are feeling stuck in our troubles or overwhelmed by life’s stress, blessings can be harder to see. So, it is important to recall the ways God has provided for us before, appreciate the gifts he surrounds us with each day, and understand the promises he has made for our future. Remembering past and present blessings makes us more mindful of God’s presence with us today. Also, the assurance of an eternal life with him, in a place free of pain and sorrow, gives us courage to endure through our present suffering. Use these hope-filled Bible verses to focus on anticipating God’s blessings here and in eternity:
(31) For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
(32) But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
(33) Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:1
(34) He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.
Revelation 21:4
(35) Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.
Titus 3:7
(36) That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
1 Corinthians 2:9
(37) All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
1 Peter 1:3-5
(38) Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
Romans 5:2
(39) No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:13-14
(40) That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
What helps you hold on to hope?
What Bible verse brings you hope in times of discouragement? Is there a prayer you rely on? Or, an activity which lifts your spirits? I’d love to learn more about hope from you. You can share your thoughts about hope in the comments section below. I am praying for you:
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
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Hope from God’s Word is a true comfort, a promise, and a gift.
Hold on to hope! Press on in faith, my friends! ~Jamie
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Related Posts:
While We Wait on God…
The Serenity Prayer: a Road Map for Peace
Trusting God along the Eagle Trail: Isaiah 40:31
Embracing God’s Plan
Where is God when Life Hurts?
I Will Come Forth As Gold (Job 23:10)
Even Now, God is Faithful–a poem
Prayer Walking in the Wilderness
Inspiring Resources:
What is the definition of hope?–gotquestions.org
What is the Christian’s hope?–gotquestions.org
Hope (Yakhal) Advent Word Study–a video from bibleproject.com
Biblegateway.com–a resource to explore Bible reading plans and verses about hope
The flower of hope: symbolizing resilience and optimism–southsideblooms.com
First photo featured: Daffodils by Paul Moody–Unsplash.com
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