Do you have a favorite Bible scripture, a “go-to” passage that brings peace in any situation?
I was encouraged to choose a “life verse” as a young adult. A life verse is a small passage from the Bible that you decide to be your favorite; it is the one that you commit to memory to share with others and draw strength from in life. Choosing one proved to be a challenging task, as hundreds speak to my heart. Initially, I settled on the short, simple truth found in the last part of Romans 8:39:
“…(Nothing) shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Separation has always been a personal struggle, a part of life that deeply hurts my heart. The truth that nothing can separate us from God’s love is a profound comfort in these moments.
Life happens, and with it come spiritual and emotional challenges. After a few years of adulting, I added verse 38 and the rest of verse 39 to my life verse. I found the need to identify and speak the specific things that could not separate me from the love of God:
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When my heart is unsettled, I turn to pen and paper and write out that life verse. I slowly allow the pen to reveal each word as if tracing it on my heart. Sometimes, I write it once, sometimes several times. The Holy Spirit reminds me of God’s eternal love with each pen stroke.
Somewhere along the way, I once again “added” a verse, verse 37:
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Life often feels like a battle. We struggle and strive to find victory in so many things. But the truth is, we are more than victorious in Christ Jesus our Lord. Regardless of how we feel in the moment, we will emerge triumphant. That is something to celebrate!
A few nights ago, I felt a little under the weather and unable to sleep. My heart was heavy, and several concerns stubbornly would not leave my mind so I could rest. I got out of bed, picked up a pen and paper, and began to write.
“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I wrote the verse several times, allowing the words to saturate my soul. After whispering a prayer, I returned to bed and slept peacefully until morning.
If you need encouragement today, please take the time to allow scripture to speak to your weary soul. God’s love letter to you, the Bible, holds blessings, inspiration, and peace. May you know His love and know that nothing can separate you from Him if you are His.
Charlene Miller
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#charlenemillerblogs