Inspirational Bible Verses of Comfort and Assurance ... by Cindy Beck

Tags: Bible, Inspirational Bible verses



In times of trial, it's hard to know where to turn for comfort and assurance. It's natural to rely on friends and family, but they don't always have the answers. Sometimes an omniscient source may be needed to help guide us, and the Bible is replete with inspirational verses that not only guide, but also provide comfort, assurance, and strength. Inspirational Bible verses tell us of our uniqueness, our self-worth, and most of all tell us of Heavenly Father's love for us and of His wisdom in giving us a Savior, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins. Below are six inspirational verses for comfort, strength, and assurance.

Old Testament
Although there are many wonderful books of the Old Testament, Psalms is one of my favorites and so below are three sets of verses that provide strength during difficult times.

Psalm 10: 14-15
This psalm provided comfort after the Twin Towers bombing on September 11, 2001: Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.

Psalm 23
This is the well known, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" psalm, and is the ultimate scripture for assurance of God's love. Written by King David, it has always provided comfort—especially before surgery—when the risk of walking through the "valley of the shadow of death" is a real possibility.

Psalm 27: 5
Some days it feels like trouble lurks around every corner—waiting to jump out and grab the unsuspecting—and this inspirational Bible verse provides peace of mind: For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

New Testament
I took a few medical courses in college and so feel a sense of kinship with the apostle, Luke, who was a physician. For that reason, he's one of my favorite New Testament authors and below are three sets of inspirational verses from him.

Luke 2
Almost the entire second chapter of Luke is uplifting, because it recounts the joy experienced in heaven and on earth at the birth of Jesus Christ. However, if I had to narrow it down to one set of inspirational thoughts in the second chapter of his writings, it would be Luke 2, verses 9-11: And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid . And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 12: 6-7
This verse is not only one of my favorites, but also one of my husband’s favorite Bible verses … because he’s a little sparse in the hair department. Despite the humor in that thought, I love this verse because it not only gives the assurance that God loves us, but that He knows each of us individually. We all have days where we feel as if we're just a drop in the mire of humanity, and when those come along, this Bible verse helps: Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 12: 27-28
Although sometimes the Bible is difficult to understand, there are places where it contains wonderful imagery. Whenever I want an inspirational Bible verse reminding me that God is the creator of the earth's beauty, as well as reminding me to have faith in Him, I turn to these verses in Luke: Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Now that you've read my favorite verses, take a second to drop off a comment and tell me yours. Then, take a minute to print off two hard copies of this article ... one to put in your Bible and the other to put in your wallet or purse. You never know when you may need the comfort, consolation, or assurance that's provided in them.

Sources:
"Scriptures," LDS.org.


------ "Inspirational Bible Verses of Comfort and Assurance" © Cindy Beck, 2011------


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A Simple Touch of the Heart

(Based on a true story)
© 2008 C. Lynn Beck

At six-years old, Emily* had already figured out her life was different. Other girls snuggled into soft sweatshirts as the weather cooled—ones that were bubblegum-pink, or banana-yellow. Emily wore an old, holey sweater. It might have been pink . . . once. But by the time someone handed it down to her, it was mostly the color of mud.

At school lunch, other kids munched on bologna sandwiches or peanut butter and jam. And sometimes they brought potato chips.

Emily was lucky to have a piece of smashed bread, covered with a thin layer of butter.

She wondered why her family never had enough food, and why her mother and step-father always argued. Usually he was drunk and had gambled away his paycheck. Even at six, Emily was smart enough to lay low when the fists started flying.

Her brother, Ray*, was five years older but he always kept an eye out for Emily. Once, when he was eleven, he got all dressed up. Emily had never seen him like that before—they didn’t have any clothes that weren’t tattered and worn, so someone must have given them to him. Ray wore green pants, a shirt with embroidered insignia and a hat cocked on the side of his head.

“Ray, how come you look so nice?” Emily asked, her small feet tripping lightly after him as he strode out the door.

“Because I’m a Boy Scout,” Ray said. “I’m going to a Scout meeting. Do you want to hear me say the Scout Oath?”

“Mm-hm.” Emily didn’t know what an oath was, but if he wanted to say one, it was fine with her. She trotted beside him and looked up into his blue eyes.

He took off his hat and held it. Then taking a deep breath, Ray said. “On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.”

The fact that it was a mouthful of words didn’t faze Emily. But something else about it scratched at the back of her brain. “Who is this God person?”

Ray stopped and put his arm around her small shoulders. “God is what all of us Scouts believe in. He’s the person who lives in heaven and watches over us.”

You’d think that would have been a complicated concept for a six-year-old to grasp, but something touched Emily’s heart. The idea that there was a loving Father in heaven who was concerned about a shy little girl with a hungry tummy—and an even hungrier heart—filled her with a warm, melted caramel feeling that spread from the top of Emily’s head to the bottom of her worn out sneakers.

As a neglected child—who lacked physical and emotional necessities—Emily’s soul rejoiced at the idea that there was a grown-up named God who kept tabs on her. And that He cared if she owned a bright sweatshirt or ate a decent lunch.

That feeling of love stayed with Emily from then on. It sustained her through the difficulties and trials of her young years. It carried Emily through the rebellion and angst of teenage strife. It helped her grow through the wonderful time of early marriage and motherhood.

That feeling was there the day the missionaries knocked on the door. It was even stronger during the lesson about Joseph Smith receiving a heavenly vision. Emily knew that if Heavenly Father could touch her heart when she was six-years old, he could surely speak with a fourteen-year-old boy.

Emily is older now. The hair that peeks out from under her gardening hat is more gray than blonde. The curves and winding turns in life have taken Emily down a better path than the one on which she started. The clothes in her closet run the gamut from bubblegum-pink to banana-yellow. Emily is always well-fed.

Looking back on her experiences, Emily says softly, “I can’t fail to acknowledge that life took a smoother turn because of a Heavenly Father who constantly interceded on my behalf. I owe my good fortune, happiness, and acceptance of the gospel to the One who loved me from the top of my head to the bottom of my worn out sneakers—the One who never let me forget He cared about a shy little girl with a hungry tummy … and an even hungrier heart.”

* Names have been changed.


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