Tonight in my devotions, I was reading a list of verses about hardship. They seemed rather appropriate, especially if one is going through a physical hardship (like cancer). But they made me think, and I think they’re good verses to remember. I was talking to a friend the other day who said she was compiling a list of verses to read and meditate on when she felt down. I think it’s a good idea, so here is the start of my list of verses for when I am discouraged because of hardship:

2 Timothy 2:3-4
“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs–he wants to please his commanding officer.”
This verse jumped out to me because of the title of this blog. The idea of being a Christian soldier. Just like a soldier in an earthly army, we should also strive to please our commanding officer, who is Jesus. Our every action should reflect our desire to serve Him.

Philippians 3:7-8
“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for Whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:11,16-18
“For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body… Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
These verses really spoke to my heart. “Inwardly we are being renewed day by day” – it’s not necessarily a speedy process. “What is unseen is eternal” – our inward renewing isn’t visible to the world, but it will matter in the end. Even though we can’t see that good things may come from bad things, God is still working.

Hebrews 11:25-27
“He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.”