17 Bible Verses For When You Feel Hopeless

Sometimes, the weight of the world feels too heavy to bear. Maybe you feel like you’re treading water, barely keeping your head above the waves of despair and anxiety. It’s in these moments that we need a reminder of who is reaching out to us, ready to pull us into the safety of His embrace.

But what if, in these exact moments, there was a gentle reminder that you are seen, loved, and held by a God who is closer than your next breath? This collection of 17 Bible verses serves as that reminder. From the calming assurance in 1 Peter 5:7 to the empowering promise in John 16:33, let these scriptures anchor you in the truth that no matter what today holds, there is hope and victory in Christ.

Remember, there is no shame in asking for help, whether that be therapy, medicinal, etc. I’m praying for you, friend.

1 PETER 5:7

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” -1 Peter 5:7

Most times, when we feel anxious, the root of it lies within a belief that we are alone. It’s as if we’re treading water in the middle of an ocean, and we know that at any minute our legs are going to give out on us.

Let me ask you something: If you ever find yourself treading water in the middle of an ocean, and look up to see Jesus standing firm upon the water and reaching His hand out to you, are you going to keep treading water? Or are you going to cling to that hand as if your life depends on it?

Cling to Him. Your anxiety, your worries, your fear, your anger -none of it is too big for Him.

My friend, He cares for you. He loves you.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” -2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Romans 8:37-39

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:36-39

Nothing and no one can separate us from God’s great love for us. He loves us because He loves us because He loves us. His love for His children is relentless.

Psalm 130:5-7

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.” -Psalm 130:5-7

Psalm 40:1-3

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.” -Psalm 40:1-3

There is so much hope in this passage. The first thing that stands out is that the Lord hears us. He hears our cry for help and does something about it. Despite our opinion, it is clear that the Lord does care.

The second thing we see is that He will draw us out of that pit of destruction. Regardless of whether it is a pit of our own making and choices, or a pit we were born into. He draws us out and places our feet upon a rock. What better rock to stand on than Christ our solid rock? When we are able to stand in His strength, love, and freedom, then we will finally have the eyes to see that there is always hope.

Now, this may or may not look like a new setting. Our situation may not change, but our hearts can. Our perspective can. What looked meaningless before, can suddenly have meaning. What looked hopeless before, can suddenly alight with hope.

Lastly, we see that he puts a new song in our mouths. No longer is it a song of lament, but a song of praise to our Father.

Friend, sometimes we have to praise before we feel like praising. There is a song I love called “Praise Before My Breakthrough” by Bryan and Katie Torwalt that captures this well.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Isaiah 4029 31 — Image Credit: Canva Pro/ Abbie Clark.

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” -Isaiah 40:28-31

ISAIAH 41:10

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” -Isaiah 41:10

When we feel like there is no way we can keep going or fighting, this verse gives us peace. Though our own strength may fail us, God is promising to give us His strength. He promises that He is with us and that He will hold us in His righteous right hand.

Lamentations 3:17-33

Lamentations 3 21 24 — Image Credit: Canva Pro/ Abbie Clark.

“my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is;
so I say, “My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord.”

Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!
My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him;
let him put his mouth in the dust— there may yet be hope;
let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults.

For the Lord will not cast off forever,
but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.” -Lamentations 3:17-33

JOHN 14:27

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” -John 14:27

I think we often assume God’s character reflects the character of those around us, which is why it is so hard for us to trust Him. Because, maybe even unconsciously, we have assumed that He is only a slightly “better” version of us. Or maybe we believe that He doesn’t actually care as much as He says He does. Or perhaps we doubt that He is actually good, through and through.

So when He promises to give us peace, it’s hard for us to believe that He isn’t filling us up with nice words, only to abandon us when we need Him most.

God is not whoever it is that has hurt you. He will never lie to you or abandon you. But we have to trust Him.

Psalm 71:1-5

Psalm 715 — Image Credit: Canva Pro/ Abbie Clark.

“In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!

In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!

Be to me a rock of refuge,
to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

For you, O Lord, are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.” -Psalm 71:1-5

MATTHEW 6:26

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” -Matthew 6:26

You have immense value in the eyes of the Lord -which should take your breath away and make you do a happy dance. If God provides for the birds and clothes the flowers, how much more will He care for and provide for His own children?

Romans 15:13

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” -Romans 15:13

JOSHUA 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” -Joshua 1:9

Jesus isn’t merely recommending that you be strong and courageous. No, He’s commanding you to be strong and courageous. But how can we do that when we feel like we are fighting a losing battle? Because He is with us. We have His strength -the strength of a King that has already won the battle.

Psalm 62:1-2, 5-8

Psalm 625 — Image Credit: Canva Pro/ Abbie Clark.

“For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. “ -Psalm 62: 1-2, 5-8

Psalm 34:17-18

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” -Psalm 34:17-18

John 16:33

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33

In these words, spoken shortly before His arrest, Jesus prepares His disciples for the trials ahead. He doesn’t sugarcoat their future; instead, He promises something deeper—peace amidst the storm. This isn’t about avoiding struggles, it’s about overcoming them.

Jesus, fully aware of His impending crucifixion, chooses this moment to instill courage. He assures them that the chaos of the world, while real and overwhelming, is not the ultimate reality. They, and we, are held secure by His victory.

This peace isn’t just comfort, it’s conquest. Because Jesus has overcome, we too can stand firm. In Him, our end is not defeat but eternal life—a life that death itself can’t diminish.

Deuteronomy 31:8

“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8