30 Bible Verses about Hardship

But you should be sober-minded about everything, [willing to] endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Who [i.e., what] can separate us from Christ's love [for us]? [i.e., what unfortunate circumstance of life might suggest that Christ does not love us?] Would [it be] trouble? Or distress? Or persecution? Or inadequate food? Or inadequate clothing? Or danger? Or [even] death?

for which I am suffering difficulty [here] in prison, as [though I were] a criminal. But God's message is not "in prison."

For we want you to know, brothers, about the trouble that we experienced in Asia. [See I Cor. 16:19]. We were under a heavy burden [which was] more than we could stand, even to the point of despairing of life.

I have said these things to you so that you can have peace in [fellowship with] me. You will have trouble in the world, but cheer up, for I have conquered the world."

Is there anyone among you who is suffering? [If so], he should pray. Is anyone happy? [Then] he should sing a psalm.

[Be willing to] suffer hardship with me like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

So, I am pleased to [endure] weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, [all] for Christ's sake. For when I am weak [physically], then I am strong [spiritually].

I have worked and suffered. I have often gone without sleep, been hungry and thirsty, often gone without food [i.e., for spiritual reasons], been cold and had inadequate clothing.

and endurance [produces God's] approval; and [His] approval [produces] hope.

[We have been] beaten, jailed, and mobbed. [We have] worked hard, missed sleep and gone without food.

And you have persevered and endured [suffering] for my name's sake [i.e., in my service] and [yet] have not grown weary.

For those of you who put up with such suffering unjustly, because of your close relationship to God, are to be commended.

[Along the way] they strengthened the hearts of the disciples, urging them to continue [to believe and practice] the faith and [explaining] that entering God's [heavenly] kingdom [See II Tim. 4:18] requires enduring many trials.

[For the suffering] you are enduring [is] for your discipline. God is dealing with you as He does with [His] children, for what child is not disciplined by his father?

Because of this you can be very joyous, even though it is necessary for you to have suffered many trials for a little while.

For you brothers remember how we labored and toiled, working hard night and day, so that we would not burden any of you [while] we proclaimed to you the Gospel of God.

And if I donate all my possessions to feed poor people, and if I surrender my body to be burned [Note: This probably refers to becoming a martyr, but some manuscripts read, "that I may be able to boast"], but do not have love [for people], it is no benefit to me.

But if you should marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin girl marries, she has not sinned. Yet those individuals [who do marry] will have troubles in this life, and I want to spare you of that.

except that the Holy Spirit reveals to me in every city [I visit] that chains and persecutions await me there.

But, as ministers of God, we [try to] commend ourselves [to others] in every way. [We do this] by [our] great steadfastness in troubles, hardships and difficulties.

For I consider that our present sufferings do not deserve to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us [i.e., in the future life].

I am not saying this to make it easy for others [to give] and difficult for you people,

The person who perseveres under trials is blessed, because when he has been approved by God, he will receive the crown of [never ending] life, which God has promised to those who love Him.

You should withstand his efforts by maintaining a strong faith [in God], remembering that your [Christian] brothers in [the rest of] the world are experiencing [and enduring] suffering similar to yours.

because you [should] know that when your faith is tested, it produces perseverance.

neither did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. But by hard labor and toil, we worked night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you.