Topic hub
Bible verses about hard times
Passages that speak directly to seasons of difficulty, hardship, testing, and the way God sustains people through adversity.
What does the Bible say about hard times and struggles?
Hard times are not a sign that God is absent. The Bible is full of people who went through severe difficulty and found God faithful in the middle of it. Joseph was imprisoned. David was hunted. Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, and left for dead.
These verses are for anyone going through a difficult season and looking for something solid to hold onto. They do not promise that hard times will disappear, but they promise that God is present within them.
Key passages
"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"
Tribulation works patience. A blessed change takes place in the sinner's state, when he becomes a true believer, whatever he has been. Being justified by faith he has peace with God.
"And patience, experience; and experience, hope:"
Patience works experience, and experience works hope. A blessed change takes place in the sinner's state, when he becomes a true believer, whatever he has been. Being justified by faith he has peace with God.
"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. God's favour and good-will to his people speak abundant comfort to all believers. The new creature, wherever it is, is of God's forming.
"The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles."
The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them. Let young persons set out in life with learning the fear of the Lord, if they desire true comfort here, and eternal happiness hereafter. Those will be most happy who begin the soonest to serve so good a Master.
"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;"
Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. Christianity teaches men to be joyful under troubles: such exercises are sent from God's love; and trials in the way of duty will brighten our graces now, and our crown at last.
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;"
Our light affliction works for us a far more exceeding weight of glory. The grace of faith is an effectual remedy against fainting in times of trouble. They knew that Christ was raised, and that his resurrection was an earnest and assurance of theirs.
Main takeaways
- Hard times produce perseverance, character, and hope according to Paul.
- God promises his presence in trouble, not always exemption from it.
- The Bible's most comforting passages were written from inside hard situations.
Related books
Related people
Related places
The city at the heart of biblical kingship, temple worship, the passion narratives, and Christian memory.
Reading paths
A path for grief, exhaustion, lament, stubborn faith, and the refusal to call pain unreal.
Further guides
A guide to Job, innocent suffering, failed explanations, and why the Bible refuses cheap answers to pain.