Bible Verses About Hope In Hard Times

Today by God’s grace, I will share 10 bible verses to keep hope alive in hard times. Additionally, I will share why it is important to keep hope alive in tough times, especially in the times we are in now.

As Christians how do we keep hope alive in hard times? Especially when we have the notion that since God is omnipotent He should keep us from hard times. I mean who wants to go through a tough time if it can be avoided, right?

It can then be very disappointing when hard times come, and God seems to have gone on vacation. How do we overcome our disappointment and keep hope alive during a hard time?

The other day, someone asked a question on one of my social media pages, about my post on how to increase faith and trust in God. You can read the post here. 

And the question was, how do we keep trusting God when He doesn’t always answer our prayers? Honestly, this is a perfectly valid question, but there is no straightforward answer besides the fact that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Anyway, this post is based on keeping hope alive, so I won’t bore you with my response to the question. However, if you’re curious to know what my response was, feel free to view it on my Facebook page. And while there, please like my page, that is, if you wish to support my ministry. Additionally, you can also respond with your own words of encouragement.

So the disappointment and subsequent hopelessness we may feel in tough times are real especially for us as Christians. This sometimes happens because we have an entitlement mentality or maybe our heart has just become sick from deferred hope. (Proverbs 13:12)

No wonder the psalmist prayed;

² From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalms 61:2 (KJV)

There is a respite for our soul when our heart is overwhelmed, there is a higher rock that God can lead us to. A place where we will find peace and renewed strength to carry on.

What is Hope and Why Is It Important to Keep Hope Alive?

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a specific thing to happen. It is holding on to the possibility of a desired outcome, either based on logic or the absence of it. 

Example of People Who Hoped in the Bible – Abraham

For example, Abraham hoped against hope that he would be a father of nations as God had promised.

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Romans 4:18 (NIV)

In Abraham’s case, his hope defied human logic because the bible records that his body was dead and his wife’s womb was dead also. 

¹⁹ And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,

Romans 4:19-20 (NKJV)

Yet Abraham kept hope alive and did not waver through unbelief.

What is Hope in the Bible

Therefore, hope in the Bible can be defined as having a confident expectation that God will come through for you. That it shall be well with you and that the promises of God will come to pass in your life.

It is based on a knowing deep within you that it is not time to throw in the towel.

Why It Is Important To Keep Hope Alive In Hard Times

Hope is a desire, a confident expectation, once we lose that confident expectation, it will be tougher to see our desired change. That’s why it is important to keep hope alive in tough times.

Hebrews 11:6 put it succinctly as follows;

⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)

We need to have hope that God will reward our diligent seeking of him. Whether our seeking is through prayers, vigils, fastings, sacrificial giving, praises, and worship, else we won’t receive our due reward.

We need to keep hope alive if we want to see our desired change. #HopeInhardTimes #Hope #HopeBibleVerses  Click To Tweet

10 Bible Verses To Keep Hope Alive in Hard Times

1. If there is hope for a cut-down tree, there is hope for you

The first bible verse to keep hope alive in hard times that we will look at is;

⁷ “For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease. ⁸ Though its root may grow old in the earth, And its stump may die in the ground, ⁹ Yet at the scent of water it will bud And bring forth branches like a plant.

Job 14:7-9 (NKJV)

If there is hope for a tree, know that your life is much more precious to God than that of a tree. That is why God sent his only son to die for you and me so that we may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

And again this is what he says in the book of Jeremiah;

³ The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV)

2. God’s eye is on you and He will keep you alive in famine

The second bible verse about keeping hope alive in hard times makes it clear that God’s eye is on those who hope in His mercy.

¹⁸ Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, ¹⁹ To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.

Psalms 33:18-19 (NKJV)

3. The Lord takes pleasure in those who hope in His mercy

Actually this is one of my favorite bible verses starting from verse 10 where it talks about God not taking pleasure in the strength of a horse or in the legs of a man. And this is the third bible verse about keeping hope alive in difficult times.

¹¹ The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy. Psalms 147:11(NKJV)

4. When there is life there is hope

This is a popular saying and it is our fourth bible verse on keeping hope alive in hard times.

⁴ But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. Ecclesiastes 9:4 (NKJV)

5. Having hope in God will lead to peace, prosperity, and fruitfulness

You can’t miss it with this fifth bible verse about keeping hope alive in hard times.

⁷ “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. ⁸ For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJV)

6. Keep hope alive no matter what

… he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. 1 Corinthians 9:10 (NKJV)

7. Christ in you is the hope of glory

²⁷ To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 (NKJV)

8. Hold fast the confession of your hope

²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV)

9. His thoughts towards us are thoughts of peace

¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV)

10. The hope of the afflicted will not perish

¹⁸ But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish. Psalms 9:18

Read: Helpful Tips for Surviving the Storms of Life

Conclusion About Keeping Hope Alive in Difficult Times

We’ve all gone through hard times at different seasons of our life but to varying degrees. This may shake our faith and diminish our hope in God and His promises. After all, hope deferred makes the heart sick. (Proverbs 13:12)

But we must not lose hope because that will make it harder to receive from God.

It is my prayer that these bible verses about keeping hope alive in hard times will help rekindle your hope in God. Amen.