Bible Passages for When We Are Overwhelmed

I sat down to collect a few passages for times when we are overwhelmed. I asked the other Holy Hen House contributors for their favorite places in God’s Word to turn to in times like that. I jotted down a couple of my own favorites, but quickly became overwhelmed myself - but in a good way. God has given all of us an overwhelmingly great supply of encouragement, wisdom, and guidance for those days we can’t go it alone - because we never can go it alone. (Good thing we don’t have to.)

So, where do we start? We can read as David pours out his heart to God in the Psalms or walk with Jesus in the Gospels. We can watch God faithfully provide for the Israelites again and again and again. As women, we might be inspired to turn to the books of Ruth and Esther to see how God worked in their lives through challenges. I hardly know where to send you first, but below are a few places we HHH ladies find ourselves returning to often. Please also comment at the end with some of your favorites, and I can add them right into the post in the Reader Favorites section below.

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Exodus 14:14

...for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

In peace I will lie down and sleep,

   for you alone, Lord,

   make me dwell in safety. 

Psalm 4:8 Read more Psalm 4...

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.

The righteous person may have many troubles,

   but the Lord delivers him from them all. 

Psalm 34:17-19

Hear my cry, O God;

   listen to my prayer.

From the ends of the earth I call to you,

   I call as my heart grows faint;

   lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For you have been my refuge,

   a strong tower against the foe.

I long to dwell in your tent forever

   and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

For you, God, have heard my vows;

   you have given me the heritage of

   those who fear your name.

Psalm 61:1-5

The grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of our God endures forever.

Isaiah 40:28 Read more Isaiah 40…

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 Read more Romans 8...

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-19 Read more of this prayer...

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

I Peter 5:7

Reader Favorites:

But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

Isaiah 43:1-3a

 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you; all whose thoughts are fixed on you.

Isaiah 26:3

*Photo taken at Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mosca, CO 2015