At various times in our lives, we all face difficulty or what we might call hard times or trials. It can be challenging during those times not to lose sight of God or forget His promises as fear attempts to find a foothold within us.
How wonderful it is that we truly are NOT alone in tough situations; the Lord is with us! He is there within us and without, even if we cannot feel His tangible presence. He fights our battles for us and shows us the way to go.
We can easily access Him and His truth in the Word He has given us. His Holy Spirit is with us to guide us into all the truth which Jesus and the Father would have us know. (John 16:13-14) This article is devoted to scriptures that help us to have courage when the going gets rough and remind us God will never leave us.
The Lord goes before you
At times you might feel afraid to step out to do something you need to do. Or you might feel alone in whatever trial is afflicting you. However, courage can be found in God’s promises to never leave you.
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV
We can trust that God Himself will fight our battles. We have no need for panic or anxiety, but can proceed calmly in our faith in Him. Just as God fought for the Israelites, He will also do for you.
The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you. . .
Deuteronomy 1:30, KJV
But you will not leave in haste
Isaiah 52:12, KJV
or go in flight;
for the Lord will go before you,
the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
He goes before you to make your way clear and straight, leads you as you go, and acts as your rear guard, which means He watches over you and protects you from even attacks you cannot see.
I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron. . .
Isaiah 45:2, KJV
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night. . .
Exodus 13:21, KJV
[Give thanks] to him who led his people through the wilderness;
Psalm 136: 16, NIV
His love endures forever.
God guides your steps
When we love and trust Him, and obey and rely upon His Word, we can be assured God will show us the way. If you stumble, He will catch you and hold you upright. He will rescue you from trouble and give you a firm footing in life. The following scriptures outline His promises to always be there to guide you.
The Lord makes firm the steps
Psalm 37:23-24, NIV
of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Psalm 40:2, KJV
His Word is a literal road map for us when we look to it for instruction and guidance. We arrive at our destination in much better time and with far fewer issues by following God’s map instead of our own ideas, wants, and desires.
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119:105, KJV
A person’s steps are directed by the Lord.
Proverbs 20:24, NIV
How then can anyone understand their own way?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
He is a good, good Father, who protects, teaches, and provides for you as His beloved child.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
Psalm 32:8, NIV
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
God is always with you
As Deuteronomy 31:8 above has already shown us, God will always be with us and never forsake us. It bears repeating, as this is Truth we all need to have solidly within us!
Let us review more scriptures that show us this truth. Let this truth reside firmly in our hearts and minds so that we can have courage in knowing that He is never far from us.
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
Psalm 145:18, KJV
Even the name of the Lord, Emmanuel, means that God is with us!
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Matthew 1:23, KJV
Holy Spirit, who lives within us as new creations, links us directly with the Father and never leaves us. He was sent to us in Jesus’ stead to be our Guide, Comforter, Counselor, and Helper in all things in this world.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
John 14:16-17, NIV
. . . and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 28:20, KJV
Finally, Jesus said we should not pursue money or possessions for our security, which is what the world tells us to do. But instead, we should seek and find our security in God, for He will never abandon us.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
Hebrews 13:5, NIV
never will I forsake you.”
Be Encouraged!
You can have confidence in the Lord and be courageous, for you are not alone! Your God guides the way and watches over you. Whatever difficulty you might face, now or in the future, recall these scriptures, meditate on them, and know that God is with you always! He will never abandon you or leave you on your own.
Excellent read. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it! And many thanks for the feedback.