10 Encouraging Verses for When You Feel Overwhelmed!

When I feel overwhelmed, these 10 encouraging verses remind me that it’s okay to step back, take a break, and focus on what really matters. I hope they will help you too!

It’s no secret that these are difficult times. With the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 has been a scary and uncertain year for everyone.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and afraid, especially now. 

Take some time off today to rest in these verses. I hope you find some peace in these truths straight from God’s Word!

Note: I’ve utilized several different Bible translations (ESV, NLT, NASB, etc.) for each of these verses to offer some different writing styles and word choices.

Feel free to look up these verses in your own favorite Bible version! I’ll specify which translation I’m using for each verse in the parentheses below.

#1. “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6, NLT)

Moses spoke these words to the Israelites when he was about to retire as their leader and hand over the reins to his successor, Joshua. It was a scary time for the Israelites – they were about to enter the land that God had promised them, where many enemy nations resided. This verse is still as true for us today as it was for the Israelites – we have no reason to fear when God is with us!

#2. “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34, ESV)

Jesus spoke these words in His famous Sermon on the Mount speech, and it’s one of the best verses for when you feel overwhelmed by the future! Sometimes it’s easier said than done, but Jesus gives us practical advice here that today is enough to worry about – let’s deal with our problems one day at a time!

#3. “When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn…” (Psalm 142:3a, NLT)

David wrote these words while he was hiding in a cave from Saul, who was trying to kill him. In this time of desperation, David turned to his only refuge: the Lord. When you feel overwhelmed, you can turn to God too!

#4. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:35 & 37, ESV)

These powerful words, written by Paul, remind us that no matter what struggles we face, we can never be separated from Jesus’ love for us! Through this love, Christ has overcome the world – all our problems pale in comparison to His greatness.

#5. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV)

This is another verse about conquering fear! Trusting in God gives us a ‘sound mind’ for looking at our issues with clarity, wisdom, and hope.

#6. “…Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b, NLT)

God never promised that our lives would be easy, and this verse is proof of that! Just a few hours after Jesus spoke these words, he was arrested, and that next evening, He was crucified. What an amazing thought, that even though Jesus knew what sorrows were to come, He was still able to see the incomparable victories that lay ahead of Him. 

#7. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, NIV)

Here is the invitation that Jesus offers us when we do experience the trials he warns of in John 16. When we feel overwhelmed, this verse reminds us that we can bring our burdens to Him, and He promises to give us rest for our souls.

#8. “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” (Exodus 14:14, NLT)

I love this verse, just for its simplicity. Moses said this to the Israelites when they saw the Egyptians chasing after them in the distance! They were so afraid of returning to captivity – little did they know that God was about to part the Red Sea for them to escape! How often do we think that we can fight our own battles, when the Lord promises that He will take care of us? Sometimes, all we have to do is be still and trust in Him.

#9. “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22, NASB)

This is another verse from a psalm of David. There’s a clear theme in all of David’s psalms that we should give our troubles to God. Remember these verses when you feel overwhelmed – God wants to help you and sustain you! He sees your struggles, and He will not let those things destroy you if you come to Him.

#10. “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8, NLT)

I included this last verse because it shows us the results of what happens when we trust God through our struggles! It’s okay to feel overwhelmed – we all feel this way sometimes. But, what’s important is that we make it out stronger on the other side. The uncertainty and difficulty that we face will strengthen our “roots” and help our “leaves stay green.” By putting our hope in the Lord alone, we can trust that we will ultimately prosper! 

And that’s my list of Bible verses for when you feel overwhelmed! What verses have helped you get through this pandemic? I’d love to know your thoughts in a comment below!

Stay safe out there,

Danielle xx