As I write this, I literally just found out a friend has a sick child. I haven’t talked to him or his wife yet, but I know it’s serious. And I know they need comfort and encouragement.
Truth is, we all need comfort, and Bible verses about comfort can be among the most encouraging gifts God has given us in this life. Like the good Father that He is, He knows exactly what we need, and the verses we find in His Word have the power to touch us and minister to us like nothing else can.
We live in a world and a culture broken by sin. A part of that damage is pain and loss. From the moment Adam and Eve tasted that forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden, death entered the world. While that can include physical death, it also includes other kinds of loss, things like disappointment, depression, confusion, rejection, abandonment, and frustration.
Bible verses about comfort carry us through those hard times, regardless of the source of our loss.
10 Verses of Comfort for Troubled Times
A few years ago, I had a lot going on in my life. The pandemic was in full swing. I was in between jobs (and would be for nine months), and my mom was in hospice care. On one hand, it was a dark season for me personally. On the other hand, it was one of the greatest spiritual seasons of growth in my life.
I’d never want to run that gauntlet again, and I certainly wouldn’t wish it upon anyone else, but I learned a lot about drawing closer to God and leaning into His strength when I didn’t have any strength of my own. And so many Bible verses about comfort encouraged me and challenged me.
If you’re going through a hard time, you can find similar help from Bible verses about comfort. They won’t change your situation, but they can change your perspective. While you still will need to stand firm and trust God, knowing what He says in His Word can make a huge difference. And if you’re not sure where to start, here are ten of my favorites.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
This is probably my favorite Bible verse about comfort. It’s the one I sign with my name when I’m sending a card to someone who is grieving or recovering from an illness. It reminds me that God never wastes anything. He provides comfort for us, but He also uses those hard times to teach us how to comfort others. Once we walk through our storms, we can walk alongside others because we’ve been there and found God faithful.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have what I need.” (Psalm 23:1)
This Bible verse about comfort has been an anchor for so many Christ followers through the generations. The image of a Shepherd guiding and protecting His sheep—even in the valley of the shadow of death—provides a sense of calm and peace in the fiercest storms. It’s comforting to know that God is always present, always leading and providing.
“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” (John 14:1)
The disciples were torn up inside. They already had been dealing with a measure of fear as they entered Jerusalem for Passover. Now, Jesus was telling them that He was leaving. But He also challenged them to believe. Faith—belief—has the power to comfort us and sustain us. This verse about comfort reminds us that we can trust God, even when we’re surrounded by chaos and pain. He will provide comfort and peace to help us move forward.
“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
God holds His people in His hands. I’ll be honest: I know this intellectually in my head; but when I really think about what it means, it blows my mind! God provides courage and strength when we’re afraid and weak. Even more, we know that He will not let go, regardless of the circumstances we face.
“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
Paul listed some powerful forces that will try to rob our peace and comfort. In fact, it feels like he covered everything in the book: life and death, good and bad angels, the past, the present, the future, and anything in creation. That’s a lot of challenges, but God is bigger than them all. We can find comfort in that. It’s not just that we won’t be separated from God’s love. Paul wrote that we can’t be separated from His love. No matter what happens, He is with us, and He is in control.
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, and the flame will not burn you.” (Romans 8:38-39)
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. This world is broken and warped by sin, which means we are going to suffer. God understands that, which is why these Bible verses about comfort speak about “when,” not “if.” We will go through floods and fires in life. But we will not be alone. God will be with us. What’s more, He will be protecting us.
“Even if he causes suffering, he will show compassion according to the abundance of his faithful love.” (Lamentations 3:32)
Jeremiah was writing after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. Everywhere he looked, he saw the devastation that came on God’s people as a result of God’s wrath against their sin. But He also understood that God’s judgment is actually rooted in His mercy. Even when He disciplines, He offers comfort to those who turn back to Him. That’s comforting to me.
“This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life.” (Psalm 119:50)
God is faithful, and He always keeps His promises. One of His greatest promises is to provide comfort during our times of distress, even in the darkest moments we can imagine. Along with that, He also promises to bring us through to the other side. We can count on Him to do what He said He would do. That brought a sense of comfort to the psalmist, and it’s a Bible verse that can bring comfort to us as well.
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
Let’s be clear: When Jesus said His yoke was easy, He didn’t mean we would never face difficult times. We’ve already established that life is hard and won’t get any easier this side of heaven. Instead, He urged His followers to come to Him during those painful seasons of life. He gives us the endurance to survive—and even thrive—when we are hurting because He is our only true Source of rest and peace. Jesus’s yoke might not always seem better; but, as a friend of mine likes to say, “Life with Jesus is always better than life without Him.”
“When he has swallowed up death once and for all, the Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove his people’s disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 25:8)
God has promised that a day is coming when He will deal with death and suffering “once and for all.” I love the mental image of God wiping away our tears one last time. And I love that this Bible verse about comfort is repeated in John’s heavenly vision (Revelation 21:4). God’s comfort here and now gives us a taste of the ultimate healing we will experience in His presence. No more darkness. No more pain. No more suffering. No more death. Only Jesus’s presence for eternity!
Praying Back to God
Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about praying Scripture back to God. Each day, I read a passage of Scripture and try to answer two questions. First, What does the passage tell me about God? Second, What should I do in response to what I learn about God? Then, I write a prayer that reflects what I am taking away from that Scripture. Sometimes, I used the exact wording of the passage. Other times, I use the bigger ideas.
I can’t take credit for it. I learned it from a man who has spent a lot more time studying both God’s Word and the concept of praying Scripture than I ever have. But I can’t help but think how helpful it could be for us to focus our prayers on Bible verses about comfort. After all, you can never go wrong praying God’s Word back to Him; and, as we’ve said, all of us need to feel His peace and His comfort in our lives.
As you think through letting Bible verses about comfort shape your life and your walk with God, consider ways to pray those passages back to God. It’s just another way to let His Word transform you from the inside out, making you into His image.
