Pray for Hope When You are Suffering

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Scripture verses to pray that will give you hope when you or someone you care about are suffering. Hope in God's promises to give you strength. #Prayer #Hope #HopeQuotesforHardTimes #BibleStudy #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings #HisGraceGirls

Even if you are not personally suffering at the moment … you can’t turn on the news or scroll through social media without seeing it all around you.

So many of us are feeling the heaviness of suffering … either our own or the empathetic burden we carry for one another.

But God…

Oh, how I love those words.

I love that Scripture is honest about the suffering that all of creation has endured since sin became our human condition and the Garden gate was closed.

Even though our righteous and holy God cannot ignore sin … He loves us. And that’s why I love the words “but God.” They are a blessed reminder of the Lord’s mercy and grace.

Just look at a few examples:

  • But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. Genesis 8:1
  • But God listened to Abraham’s request. Genesis 19:29
  • You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. Genesis 50:20
  • Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15
  • My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever. Psalm 73:26
  • The law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
  • You killed the author of life, but God raised Him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact! Acts 3:15
  • But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8
  • But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. Ephesians 2:4–5

No matter what is going on in our lives, the lives of the people around us, or those anywhere in the world … the One you and I turn to in prayer is greater than our circumstances.

He is greater than our feelings. Greater than the news. Greater than our wants and needs. He gives us hope in our suffering.

When we’re suffering, the Spirit whispers …

“But God…”

So today, I’d love for you to join me as I ask the Lord to give us hope in our suffering … as I ask Him to help us remember that He is greater than our circumstances and give us peace that passes understanding.

Pray for Hope When You are Suffering

Scripture verses to pray that will give you hope when you or someone you care about are suffering. Hope in God's promises to give you strength. #Prayer #Hope #HopeQuotesforHardTimes #BibleStudy #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings

Through Christ, you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because He raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory.

1 Peter 1:21

Father, You promised a Savior the moment sin entered the world … You had a plan and a promise! A promise to heal our sickness, to repair our brokenness, to suffer our death … that we might have the hope of LIFE!

By the power of Your Spirit, help me cling to Jesus. May He be my hope when I am suffering.

Lord, when I’m tempted to focus on my problems and pain, help me remember—I can trust Your perfect unfailing love … a love You proved by sacrificing Yourself by suffering my punishment to forgive me and give me life.

Please strengthen me and give me all that I need to lay my suffering on the altar of Your grace. Help me focus on You … trusting that You will give me the hope I need to face today in faith. By Your grace, I am protected by Your hard to understand peace and lifted up by Your mercy and grace.

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.

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 15:4, 13

Father, thank you for people like Paul. Thank you for his example of what it means to live with hope even when I’m surrounded by suffering. Your Word is the encouragement I need. Each time I read it, I see evidence of promises that have been fulfilled already. You Lord, are faithful, unfailing, and true!

Father, Your Spirit speaks to me through the pages of Your Word. Jesus said, the Spirit will “teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” (John 14:26) Thank you!

Thank you for the gift of Your Spirit. Thank you for Your Word. Thank you for being my encouragement and source of hope. Even when I’m suffering, when the people I love are suffering, when I don’t understand why there is so much suffering … I can trust Your promises of love.

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

Father, I admit … this verse is really hard. I don’t want to “rejoice” when I’m suffering. I hate dealing with problems and trials. I want a strong character and confident hope … but Lord, I don’t want the pain that is part of this process.

I get asked often … why You allow suffering. And I’ll admit, I’ve asked “why” myself sometimes. But I believe this verse is just a part of Your answer to our questions. You know how easy it is for us to become self-sufficient when things are easy, and You want us to trust You completely. You want us to SEEK You first – over anything this world has to offer. You want us to trust Your love.

You want me to experience the strong confident hope that only You can give.

In His kindness, God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever! Amen.

1 Peter 5:10–11

By Your grace, Father … this is temporary. The suffering we experience here is nothing compared to the glorious eternal future You have promised to those who know, love, and trust Jesus.

When we are burdened by suffering, You invite us to SEEK You first and promise that when we do … You will give us everything we need. I believe You are who You say You are. I believe You can and will do what You say, and I believe that means You will give me strength when I have none of my own and that You are the solid foundation on whom I can rely.

Yours is the power and glory forever. Thank you, Lord.

We put our hope in the Lord.
    He is our help and our shield.
In Him, our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in His holy name.
Let Your unfailing love surround us, Lord,
    for our hope is in You alone.

Psalm 33:20–22

Father, I put my hope in You. Everything else is fragile and fleeting. You, Lord, are my Helper and my Protector. You are the One who gives me strength and peace when life overwhelms me. You are the One I trust with my today, my tomorrow … my forever.

Your unfailing love surrounds me. I am safe in Your care. Your Word says that wherever I go, You are there. (Psalm 139) You are aware of everything that happens in my life. (Luke 12:27–28)

Lord, by Your grace and with Your help, in every experience and circumstance, You are my hope in suffering! I am sheltered by Your love … perfect unfailing love that promises me a forever future by grace, through faith in Jesus. Please help me keep my heart and mind focused on You and not on my suffering. I pray and surrender my all to Your perfect love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture verses to pray that will give you hope when you or someone you care about are suffering. Hope in God's promises to give you strength. #Prayer #Hope #HopeQuotesforHardTimes #BibleStudy #WWGGG #CountingMyBlessings #HisGraceGirls

Friend, I’m so sorry you are suffering.

Suffering makes me sad and I believe it makes God sad, too.

I don’t believe suffering is God’s will for us. I believe He allows it because He wants us to realize our need for Him. He wants us to SEEK to KNOW Him. He wants us to live with the hope we can only have when we surrender to His love.

I’m praying that for you today. May you experience His peace today as you rest in the hope we have in Jesus … God’s perfect love. Hope even when we’re suffering.

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16 Comments

  1. Deb,

    I haven’t been here in a while but God knew I needed to stop on by today specifically for that prayer. Thank you for this reminder, “No matter what is going on in our lives, the lives of the people around us, or those anywhere in the world … the One you and I turn to in prayer is greater than our circumstances.” Yes, he is greater than my circumstance. Please keep me in your prayers.

    1. Great to hear from you, Yvonne! I’m so glad you visited! I’m praying for you! God bless you, my friend!

  2. Deb, I have received so much joy reading your posts. Thank yo so very much. I love the scripture references as well. You are truly an inspiration.
    V
    Blessings,
    Brenda

    1. Thank you so much, Brenda! Your kindness is truly a blessing! Enjoy a beautifully blessed weekend!

  3. Deb, I so needed this inspiration today as I am feeling rather despondent in light of all that is transpiring at the moment. I will pray and remember that God is right there in all our suffering, and He will hold us close as we go through the trials.
    Blessings!

    1. I’m glad it blessed you, Martha! I needed it too … so I always appreciate knowing that it blessed someone else as well. God bless you and continue to hold you close!

  4. Deb,
    So thankful for your God given gift with words & using it to teach TRUTH of his words, as well as reveal his love & compassion in this lost world.
    I get several devotionals daily & yours is by far my favorite????

    1. Kathie, you totally made my day! Thanks so much for blessing me with your kind encouragement. God bless you and be with you!

  5. Thank you for “but God”

    1. You’re welcome, Cindy! Thanks for visiting.

  6. KerryAnn Manning says:

    Hi Deb,
    Thank you much for your encouragement in these trying time. Thanks for reminding us that God is still in control and that He love us. I will continue to seek Him each and every day. Please continue to be who you are and blessing us with your inspirational soul. Bless up!

    1. Thank you, KerryAnn! Your encouragement truly blesses me. I am so glad you visited and appreciate that you took the time to say “hello.” God bless you and encourage you as you SEEK to grow closer to Him each day!

  7. Gabby Llamas says:

    Mrs Deb,
    I remember when I first came across your page, I was in a very dark moment. I had kinda of forgotten that God has given us power thru Jesus Christ and I felt so hopeless and felt so much fear. The past couple of month have been hard but I know who is with me. Sometimes the enemy wants to put me back in the place but reading this blog today reminded me that there’s hope and that I have to be hopeful. I feel like God is telling me over and over to focus and not pay attention to what happened in the past. As humans it’s hard, so I ask again that you put me in your prayers. I don’t want to dwell in the past. I want to be hopeful that day by day I will get better!

    1. Oh, Gabby, you totally blessed my day! I am so glad to know that my posts have been an encouragement to you! It’s hard not to let past memories ignite painful feelings but I keep trying to remind myself when that happens to wrap them up and surrender them to God. By His grace, He wants us to live in freedom. Thank you for your kindness! God bless you!

  8. You’re inspiration means a lot to me. I’m going through a financial crisis… Please pray for our Provider… Love.. Lin

    1. I’m so sorry, Linette. I am praying for you and asking God to be with you and to meet all of your needs as you turn to Him. God be with you and bless you!