However today feels, there is a verse worth sitting with. Choose the feeling closest to where you are, and read a few words meant for exactly that.
Anxious or worried
When your mind will not settle and the what-ifs keep circling.
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28 (KJV)Weak or overwhelmed
When today is asking more of you than you feel you have.
“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 (KJV)Discouraged or low
When it is hard to see a way forward from here.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
Psalm 42:11 (KJV)“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Romans 15:13 (KJV)Lonely or unloved
When you feel forgotten, or far from the people who know you.
“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 (KJV)“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39 (KJV)“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 3:16 (KJV)Grieving or heartbroken
When loss is recent, or an old ache has returned.
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Psalm 34:18 (KJV)“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4 (KJV)“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.”
2 Corinthians 1:3 (KJV)Lost or uncertain
When a decision is in front of you and the way is not clear.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
Psalm 119:105 (KJV)“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
James 1:5 (KJV)Afraid
When fear is loud and courage feels far away.
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)“And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 31:8 (KJV)“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 (KJV)Thankful
When you want to notice the good instead of rushing past it.
“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”
Psalm 136:1 (KJV)“The joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV)“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 (KJV)Want a place to start each morning? Read today’s verse, or find a short prayer for how you feel. Or save a verse from our illustrated collection. You can also listen to these verses. Or work through a reading plan for the theme.
Scripture that meets the feeling you actually have
Most Bible-verse lists are organised by topic, which assumes you already know what you are looking for. On the days that is not true — when you only know that something is heavy — it helps to start from the feeling instead.
Choose what is closest to how you are today and you will be given verses that speak to it directly: anxious, grieving, grateful, weary, afraid, hopeful. The Bible is not shy about any of these. Lament fills the Psalms; fear is answered on almost every page.
How to read a verse when you are struggling
Read it once for what it says, and once for who is saying it. Much of the comfort in Scripture is not advice but presence — someone steady standing near, saying that they are not going anywhere.
It is worth staying with one verse rather than collecting ten. A verse you can recall at 3am is worth more than a list you read once at noon.
If the feeling does not lift
Scripture is not a substitute for the help of other people. If what you are carrying is not lifting — if it has settled in and stayed — please talk to your pastor, your doctor, or someone you trust. Reading a verse and asking for help are not opposites; they belong together.
Read further on a theme
For a longer treatment of a single subject, these collected passages go deeper: Bible verses about hope, peace, grief and comfort, strength, and love, forgiveness, healing, gratitude, anxiety, loneliness, anger, and patience.
Common questions
How does this work?
You choose the feeling closest to where you are today, and the page gives you Bible verses that speak to it. Nothing is asked of you first — no account, no sign-up.
Which translation are the verses in?
The King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain.
What if none of the feelings fit?
Pick the nearest one and read anyway; the verses tend to overlap more than the labels do. You can also browse the longer verse collections by theme.
Can Bible verses help with anxiety or depression?
Scripture can steady and comfort you, and many people find real help in returning to it. It is not a replacement for medical or pastoral care — if a heaviness stays with you, please also speak to a doctor, counsellor, or pastor.
A verse is easier to hold on to when it finds you before the day gets loud. We post one every morning on Instagram — the same verses, on leather and on screen.