Verses to Pray When You Need to Be Encouraged

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I don’t know about you, but I’m over this!

I’m tired of social distancing and wearing masks. I miss seeing faces and sharing smiles with random strangers. I’m saddened by civil unrest and riots. The truth is, I can be patient for a long time . . . but I’m ready to be done!

I’m weary of storms and fires and viruses and people arguing over the definitions of “good” and “evil.”

I’m discouraged.

So, I went to the Word . . . to the words of prophets who understood feeling discouraged and disappointed as they lived through God’s “wake-up call” to His people in Jerusalem.

Jeremiah wept over the fall of Jerusalem and Isaiah mourned the nation’s captivity in Babylon. They understood feelings of discouragement—even more than me.

Courage is the root of the words discouraged and encouraged.

Discouraged means to lose courage and encouraged means to build courage.

And that’s what I want. I need to be encouraged. The Lord tells His children to be “strong and courageous” and I want that. I want to remember…

Be strong and courageous!

For the Lord, your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!

Psalm 31:24

We are not alone. God is with us! He gives us courage when we place our faith and hope in Him. He is sovereign and nothing is outside of His care or control.

So, I’m praying verses I need to repeat today because I need my courage built up. I need to remember that God has this and every situation under control and He has you and me in the palm of His hand.

If you need to be encouraged, I’d love for you to pray with me. I believe God will build our courage as we place our faith and hope in Him.

Verses to Pray When You Need to Be Encouraged

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my
victorious right hand.

Isaiah 41:!0

Father, I’ll admit I’m discouraged. It makes me sad to see so many people at odds with each other. Good is being called evil and evil called good. People accuse one another of lying and “the facts” change so often, it’s hard to know what to believe.

Please surround with a sense of Your presence. Help me remember that You are with me. Through Jesus, You have made it possible for me to have a relationship with You. And You promise to give me the strength I need.

You have already won the victory. This season is temporary. I can trust Your unfailing promises. I can be encouraged!

Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of His understanding.
He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
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 40:28–31

Father, I’m weak, tired, and exhausted. I’m guilty of gazing at my problems and failing to focus my heart and mind on You. I need You, the One who never grows weak or weary. I need You to help me understand. I need Your power and strength.

Please forgive me for losing focus. Help me attach my heart and my mind to the truth that You are the great I AM. You spoke and creation appeared. You are always present and always willing to help. Please give me all I need to keep moving forward in faith . . . to keep walking, to run when I can, and sometimes even soar above it all. By Your grace, help me encourage others with the encouragement You give me . . . that the world may know the blessing of Your love.

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.
For I am the Lord, your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Isaiah 43:2–3a

Father, I can be guilty of trying to live my life relying on my own strength and that always leads to fear and being overwhelmed by my circumstances. But when I cling to You, when I remember that You are the Lord, my God and my Savior . . . I have everything I need.

When You are with me I am able to go “through” life’s troubles. Deep waters will not overcome and oppression will not consume me. Please forgive me. “Lord, I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) In Jesus name, I pray.

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

Father, please help me pause and simply rest in Your unending unfailing mercy and love. Your Word says, “God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son.” (John 3:16 NCV) Jesus, the living testimony of Your grace, mercy, and love.

Your mercy is greater than my sin. You allow us to live the consequences of our sin but You promise to forgive and give restoration and healing. We need You! We need Your healing touch that leads to renewal.

You said, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, if they will pray and seek me and stop their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NCV) Please forgive us, help, and heal us as we place our hope in You.

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 4:17–18

Yes, Father, our present troubles are temporary. That Apostle Paul knew troubles. He experienced being whipped, stoned, time imprisoned, and so much more, and yet he could focus on the good that You produced in him and You walked through each trouble with him.

By Your grace, help me fix my hopes and dreams on You . . . on who You are and all You have done and continue to do. This will pass. But Your love and the beautiful future “You have prepared for those who love You.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

I love You, Lord. I surrender my life to You. By Your grace, please encourage me and help me live each day with strength and power for Your glory. I thank and praise You. Amen.

If you need to be encouraged, check out the following quote…

 “Snuggle in God’s arms. When you are hurting, when you feel lonely, left out. let Him cradle you, comfort you, reassure you of His all-sufficient power and love.”

~ Kay Arthur

If you feel like this season is draining your of your strength and joy. If you feel like you need to be encouraged . . . snuggle into God’s arms today. Trust that He is with you and that He will faithfully keep His promises to “be with you” (Matthew 28:20) and “give you everything you need.” (Luke 12:31)

May God bless you and give you the courage you need to live for Him today.

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