10 Bible Verses To Motivate You

Here are ten great Bible verses that should motivate you today.

First Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

The verse above is very similar to what Paul wrote to the church at Galatia, saying “let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal 6:9).  I think his point in both these verses is that we are planting today in our labors but the reaping comes later.  The farmer sows his or her seed and knows that the harvest comes much later and wouldn’t expect it right away.  The farmer’s labor is not in vain just because the seed hasn’t surfaced yet.  It is growing, taking root, even if it’s not seen so remember that God will not let “your labor” be “in vain.”  That should motivate you today.

Psalm 34:17 “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.”

This psalm is just perfect when you need motivating, and especially if you’re going through some hard times right now because the promise is “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18), and even though “Many are the afflictions of the righteous…the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).  The psalmist leaves us with great encouragement in the final verse by writing, “The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned” (Psalm 34:22).  If you’re brokenhearted, he’s near you; if you’re crushed, He’ll save you; if he’s your refuge, you’re not condemned, just as the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:1 where it says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Second Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

In an ironic way, we’re stronger when we’re weakest.  I heard one pastor say that our greatest strength is also our greatest weakness, probably because we think it’s our strong point and that may cause us to be more vulnerable in that area.  Our strongest point is actually our weakest because God’s grace is always sufficient when we’re weak.  That’s why it’s logical to boast about our weaknesses so we can boast about our God Who’s power is perfectly displayed in weakness but His strength is never revealed in our self-sufficiency.

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

As Paul lists absolutely everything there is that could possible separate us from God, including the seen and unseen, he concludes that there is nothing left that could separate us from God.  Nothing too high or too low, too broad or too deep, and anything that’s in the past, present, or future, including no power or any created thing at all.  

Acts 5:41 “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.”

Why should this verse motivate you?  Because if you’re hated or despised for Jesus’ sake or “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1st Pet 4:14), so not only are you blessed when you suffer for Jesus’ sake, you can actually rejoice that you’re worthy to suffer shame on account on Him.  The apostle’s had just been publically flogged but they never prayed for God to stop it or to moan or wail.  They rejoiced because they were counted worthy to suffer for his name’s sake.

Psalm 103:12 “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

The interesting thing about this verse is that our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west, which means our sins are infinitely gone, unlike north and south which meet at the equator.  The psalmist paints a tender image of God “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him” (Psalm 103:13) because “he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14).  Thankfully, our God “is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8).  Camp out in Psalm 103 for a while and you’ll be encouraged.

Revelation 22:20 “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

When we live today with the end in mind, we can live with the certain expectation of Jesus’ return for us and so when you believe it’s close to His coming,  “straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).  We have no idea when that time will be, however we know that our “salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Rom 13:11b).

First John 3:2 “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

The Apostle John writes this as if he is writing in the present tense, and it is!  The Greek structure of this sentence shows that we are God’s child, right now, but it has not yet appeared what we’ll be like.  We can see glimpses of the life to come through Scripture (Rev 21, 22) but we know that we’ll finally see Him (Christ) someday, just “as He is.”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

When the change of leadership went from Moses to Joshua, the nation Israel, and perhaps even Joshua were a bit unsettled because Moses was the only leader they had known since leaving Egypt.  The point is that God will never leave him (or us) and will go with them (and us) wherever they (and we) go.

Isaiah 54:17 “no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.”

Although this was written to God’s own people Israel, there is no reason to believe it wouldn’t apply to believers today.  Who will condemn us?  Paul says if “God is for us, who can be against us” (Rom 8:32b) and “Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies” (Rom 8:33), so “Who is to condemn” (Rom 8:334a)?  The answer is no one and nothing (Rom 8:38-39).

Conclusion

If you need to be motivated today or any day, search the Scriptures for in them you will find encouragement to continue on in this life and press forward and can say as the Apostle Paul said, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14), “Therefore, holy brothers (and sisters), you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession” (Heb 3:1).

Article by Pastor Jack Wellman