Christian Inspirational Quotes For Difficult Times

The Word of God is inspirational and life for the Christian in good times and bad. In order to know God in a deeper and more powerful way, believers must devote themselves to Him through studying His Word, meditate on who He is, and rely on Him during difficult times.

The best part is that we as believers do not have to journey through this life alone, especially during tough times. There are many saints in this life who have gone before us, learned hard lessons and have proven their faith.

These 15 quotes from famous Christians are taken from verses in the Bible and will encourage your soul as you experience trying times. Have faith and take heart as you read these quotes!

 

1. “The fellow that has no money is poor. The fellow that has nothing but money is poorer still.” Billy Sunday

We often hear the word “poor” throughout the Bible. We know that God came to save the poor. We know that “blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” We know that the poor have an easier time serving the Lord because they have nothing clouding their view.

Maybe that is what Billy Sunday meant in this quote because he knew that those who had much struggled with serving themselves rather than the Lord. Yet the one who has nothing can only serve God. So do not compare yourself to others and what you do not have. Celebrate how rich in Spirit you are! 

2. “Relying on God has to start all over everyday, as if nothing has yet been done.” ― C. S. Lewis

Relying on God is a daily endeavor. It is a sacrifice that says everyday, “Today I choose to trust in you, Lord, instead of myself.” The beautiful thing about this is that you can start over everyday.

No matter what you have done, there is always redemption and forgiveness when you repent to Him. God wipes our slate clean and allows us to start over again.

3. “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” ― Mother Teresa

Sometimes we look at a test of faith as being a faith that trusts in the Lord during the big moments in life, decisions that require a lot of thought or even the major difficult times in our lives. Faith is more than just those big moments. Faith is built on the small things in life.

The times in our lives when we entrust God with the little decisions and things that do not seem as important to us. These small moments will give us faith to trust in God in the major moments.

4. “I know not the way God leads me, but well do I know my Guide.” ― Martin Luther

We cannot see the future. No matter how hard we try, we can only see what is right in front of us. It does not matter how many decisions we try to make, we cannot control the future. However, as Christians we have hope because we know the One who holds the future.

We do not have to live in fear because we know and we can have faith because we know the One who created us. His plans are to give us a hope and a future as Jeremiah 29:11 states. 

5. “Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” Martin Luther King Jr. knew this very well. He believed that God was working, even when he could not see it. He stepped out in faith every time he spoke.

His entire life was an act of faith. His life inspires us to trust in the Lord and rely on our faith, knowing that God is a good God who works for the good of those who love Him as Romans 8:28 tells us.

6. “But God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.” ― Francis Chan

The Christian life is not about being comfortable. If we are comfortable, then we are doing something wrong. When reading this quote, it reminds me of the story of Daniel. Daniel knew the consequences every time he prayed to His God. He knew that it may mean he could get in trouble and even lose his life.

However, he kept on praying and serving God until one day, the king’s men threw him in a den of lions. Did that mean he gave up praying and was afraid for his life? Nope! Nothing changed for Daniel. He was willing to continue serving God even if it meant he would not see tomorrow.

That doesn’t mean he didn’t have any fears, but he trusted in the promises of God and had courage. He lived in the peace of God and remained strong under pressure. If you’ve read the story, then you know that God spared his life. We should have a faith like Daniel’s, that never wavers. Circumstances should never dictate our faith!

7. “The issue of faith is not so much whether we believe in God, but whether we believe the God we believe in.” — R.C. Sproul

It is easy to believe in God. James 2:19 says, “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” It is not enough to believe as the demons believe. Our faith must be built on more.

We must believe the God we believe in. We must believe He is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do! This is the very essence of faith. It is the foundation for the believer!

8. “When God gets us alone through suffering, heartbreak, temptation, disappointment, sickness, or by thwarted friendship – when He gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us.” ― Oswald Chambers

This quote is so encouraging for the Christian. Even when we think we are alone, we are never alone. He goes before us and fights our battles. However, as Christians we can be a stubborn people. We often only listen to our own advice or the advice of others before ever going to the Lord.

We trust and value the opinion of someone else above the word of God. So sometimes it takes a hard lesson to bring us to the point where we are ready to be taught. Oftentimes God has to strip away everything and everyone around us so we will only listen to him.

When we finally do listen we realize that God is the first place we should go instead of the last. He knows the storms of life we go through and knows how to bring us through those very storms! What an encouragement! 

9. “The will of God is not something you add to your life. It’s a course you choose. You either line yourself up with the Son of God…or you capitulate to the principle which governs the rest of the world.” — Elisabeth Elliot

We cannot serve both the Lord and the world. Elizabeth Elliot and her husband Jim understood this truth well. She continued to serve the Lord even after her husband lost his life. She served the very people who took the life of her beloved. She chose the course of God rather than remaining in the world and serving her own life.

She was confident in who He was in her life. She knew that she had been called by the One who rescued her from the world. She did not want a faith that was common, but instead, she wanted her life to stand out for the Lord.

So, there are just two choices to make: God or the world. Which will you choose? Who will you serve?

10. “The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.” ― Abigail VanBuren

To be Christians, we must not serve ourselves but instead sacrifice our own will and desires for the Lord. It is about His perfect will and how each person can be a part of the work he is doing. We must become vulnerable to others so that we will see the need of God in our lives.

The church is just a place for sinners to come together and recognize what God has done and continues to do in their lives. It has no place for people to showcase themselves or their faith.

That is not Christianity at all. If you are going to a church that lifts up the people in it and not the grace of God, then you may need to reevaluate whether you are part of a hospital of sinners or a museum of the saints. 

11. “I remind you that there are churches so completely out of the hands of God that if the Holy Spirit withdrew from them, they wouldn’t find it out for many months.” — A.W. Tozer

Matthew 7:21 states a very scary reality for the church. It says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” This is because the kingdom of heaven is not about the works that you have done but instead about the grace of God and the salvation of man.

A church must recognize its purpose as the body of Christ. If it is not actively serving the community around it and seeking to grow in the Lord, then it is not a church that is following God’s will but rather its own. Sadly, there are many churches who struggle with this.

As a people and body of Christ, we must seek to follow God even when others try to lead us astray.

12. “The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”― C.S. Lewis

The Christian understands his need for a Savior. He knows that he was once wicked and that

God reduced his soul. God heard his call for salvation and accepted that call. God‘s love has nothing to do with our humanity and how good we are, but instead His love is what makes us want to be good. It is what drives us to do good for others.

We only know how to love because God loved us first. It is through His love that we learn how to love others with that deep kind of love. 

13. “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” ― John Piper

The Christian should seek to glorify God and who He is. When he is following after the God He loves, He will please God. God loves it when we follow Him, trust Him, and allow Him to grow our faith. When we choose Him, He will strengthen our faith and fulfill His excellent promises. Only then is He truly satisfied with who we are and who we are becoming.

14. “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.”― C.S. Lewis

Christianity was founded on forgiveness. Forgiveness is the very fabric that weaves the Christian people together. Without it, we are not Christians. At the foundation of our faith lies the salvation of Christ. God forgives our sins because Jesus paid the ultimate price. We can forgive others because we have been forgiven.

However, if we do not forgive others, then do we really understand the forgiveness of God? How can we continue to remember the sins of others when He chooses to forget our sins? How can we not forgive someone when God has forgiven so much within us? If this is something you struggle with, then look at all God has forgiven you for so that you can see the need to forgive others.

A lack of forgiveness can cause a great divide between us and family, friends, and even the church. It can be a cancer that quickly spreads. We can stumble over our own bitterness. Allow God to heal and mend what has been broken so you can follow Him. 

15. “I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.”— A.W. Tozer

Worship and praise is what connects us to God. It brings about an inexpressible joy, happiness, and an attitude that says, “I trust in you, O Lord.” Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Worship brings our hearts before the Lord, especially in times of trials and tribulation.

I have often heard people say after a worship service that they did not get anything out of the service that day. I would ask them who the worship was for then? If God does not get anything out of our worship then we have a problem. The worship is for God not us. It should be an outpouring of our hearts, during good times and bad. Pray and ask God how you can focus your heart on worship each and every day.

 

The next time you are questioning anything in this Christian life, whether you are going through trials and hardships, or experiencing moments of doubt, these quotes from the saints who have gone before will encourage your heart and spur you on to love and good works as Hebrews 10:24 says! They will strengthen your personal relationship with God and help you share what He has done in your life.

Even if life is challenging or if you fail, His Word and the words of the saints will give you guidance, help you avoid the evil in this world, bring joy to your heart, and build a foundation in your life that cannot be shaken.