Job hunting is very stressful, and it is only natural for job hunters to become weary and discouraged during the process. So it’s incredibly important to take care of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health while you’re job hunting.

Here are 12 of my favorite verses, along with my commentary about each one, to help encourage your heart and nurture your spiritual well being while job hunting or anytime you’re uncertain about your future.

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

God’s plans for you, for me, are good. It doesn’t always “feel” like that, especially when we’re job hunting, but it’s true. It can be helpful to write this verse on an index card or two, and place it in visible places, and recite it to yourself when the worry mounts up. It is always important that we renew our minds (Romans 12:2) and are careful to believe truth, but especially when we’re in a period of great stress, like job hunting. 

It's always important to believe truth, but especially when under great stress, like job hunting.Click To Tweet

Romans 8:28

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

In the same vein as the verse above, trusting that God is working everything together for your good, smooths the edges of the job hunt. Our responsibility is to walk with Him, seek Him, love Him, trust His purposes. It is often helpful to focus that you will be able to help others go through similar things once you’re on the other side – and you will be!

Download a free printable of these 12 verses to keep your mind focused on positive truth.
Psalm 27:13, 14

“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”

Two notes here: 1) an antidote to discouragement is actively looking for God’s goodness in each day. Keep an eye out for His blessings, especially small ones each day. It often helps greatly to keep a gratitude journal where you record these evidences of His goodness nightly. 2) The word “wait” here, the Hebrew word “qavah”, can be translated “look eagerly for” – this is an active waiting, not passive.

Actively look for His goodness and blessings, especially small ones each day. Click To Tweet

Isaiah 40:28-31

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”

Wait in this passage means the same thing as in Psalm 27 above – it is active. When we actively look to Him, He gives us His strength.

 

Philippians 4:6-7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The key here is to make a mental shift and focus on prayer, not worry. I admit it is much easier said than done, but when we switch gears from worrying to praying we have much more peace.

 

Galatians 6:9

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

It can be easy to let up on the job hunt. Often it doesn’t seem like your efforts are resulting in much. But don’t give up. You will reap (harvest, receive the fruit of your labor). You will obtain a good position for you, if you hang in there. Keep doing the right things – networking, setting up lunches with people who can give you good advice, customizing your resume to fit each position – and you WILL reap.

 

Romans 15:4

“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

Hope comes through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures. Find a regular time each day to spend time in God’s Word – it’s often ideal if it’s first thing in the morning to set the tone for your day. The time we invest in the scriptures daily will lead to hope as we persevere.

 

Download a free printable of these 12 verses to keep your mind focused on positive truth.
Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

You’re not having to do this alone, even though you may “feel” alone at times. God is with you. Focus on that, trust in that, and it will help you step out of your comfort zone as needed.

 

Isaiah 41:10

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Same thought at above. God is with you. Look to Him for His strength. Focus on the truth that He is with you, and it will help you make another phone call, attend another networking meeting, reach out to another person for advice and help – all the things that are so crucial to the job hunt, but can be difficult to do when we’re weary.

 

Psalm 37:23-25

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.”

Two points here: 1) I love the picture this verse paints. We may stumble, but we won’t fall head over heels because God is the One who is holding our hand. 2) Our part is to be faithful to Him, to walk with Him, and to be faithful in the job hunt.

 

Psalm 46:10a

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

He has this. We must still our thoughts, still our fears, and trust.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Trust is defined as the “firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.” We have to intentionally shift, moment-by-moment, from our own understanding and place our trust in the reliability, ability, and strength of the Lord. We can trust that He is working everything together for our good and His glory. We can trust that He will lead and work things out for us.

 

In closing —  we may never understand why we were the one chosen to be laid off, or why it is SO hard for us to find a good job when others seem to find one so easily, or why anything else hard has happened or is taking a long time to come together, but this I know – we can trust Him.

I’ll close with one of my favorite quotes, very much based on Scripture –a shortened version hangs in the 2:10 office: When you can’t trace His hand, you can trust His heart.

 “God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.” – Charles Haddon Spurgeon

When you can’t trace His hand, you can trust His heart.Click To Tweet

>> I’d love to know – what other verses encourage you? What else encourages you when you’re stressed? I’d love for you to share in the comments below.

To your success –

Blessings,

Jenny

Download a free printable of these 12 verses to keep your mind focused on positive truth.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This