From the moment Adam and Eve chose their own way over God’s way in the Garden of Eden, difficulty and pain have been an unyielding part of humanity’s narrative. Sin impacted all of creation, introducing suffering and damaging everything from our personal relationships to nature itself. Whether our days are clouded with regular struggles or we feel lost in anguish, God is with us in the pain, and His victorious plan is full of light and redemption.

Having access to Scripture in our own language allows us to dig deep into God’s Word, especially when we walk through hard times. Bible verses contain life-changing truths.

Let’s look at seven Scripture passages that illuminate our suffering with brilliant hope.

1. Genesis 3:14-15 — God has always had victory over evil.

As soon as Satan appeared in the form of a snake and tempted Adam and Eve to sin, God handed down His punishment to Satan: “Then the LORD God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel’” (NLT).

This wasn’t just a metaphor about Satan’s conflict with humans and his eventual humiliation; it was a statement of God’s ultimate victory. Evil might be able to wound people for a time, but from the beginning God knew that Jesus would defeat death and Satan. Although the devil intended for sin and brokenness to destroy us, his designs are powerless, and suffering won’t have the final word.

God’s Word Triumphs Over Darkness

Pastor Bennett Marona has had countless reasons to mourn. As a South Sudanese man in ministry, he knows what it means to persevere through suffering. He said:

Bennett speaks Baka, a language used by about 26,000 people. He began working in Bible translation in 1992, but civil unrest forced the Baka community to flee to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), putting the translation work at risk.

One night during their journey, gunfire erupted. As the crowd fled, Bennett heard a voice tell him to take a different route. Later, he learned that hundreds who had run the other way had been ambushed and killed.

Despite hardship, the Baka New Testament translation continued. When instability forced Wycliffe translators to relocate, Bennett and a fellow Baka rode bicycles for 200 miles to keep the project moving.

After more than 30 years, Bennett’s prayers were answered: Thousands of Baka speakers gathered to celebrate the dedication of the New Testament in their language.

“Now that the whole New Testament is out, thousands of Bakas are going to say, ‘Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!’” he said.

When the boxes of New Testaments were opened, hundreds rushed forward to get their copies. Bennett noted: “At that time, I forgot all the challenges I went through.”

Even though Bennett has experienced mourning, today he and the Baka people stand in victory. Unrest and suffering could not stop God’s Word from reaching them.

2. Romans 5:3-5 — Our pain has a purpose.

Hard times are often even harder when they feel pointless. But according to Paul in the Book of Romans, the struggles we face have a significant purpose: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (NLT).

Our difficulties may feel heavy, but their weight is designed to drive us into deeper intimacy with God, strengthening us and anchoring us to the steady hope of His love.

Selmira knows this firsthand. After experiencing unimaginable loss, she wrestled with suffering and searched for answers. But when she encountered Scripture in her language, she found the unshakable hope of Christ. Today she dedicates her life to sharing God’s Word with others.

Read Selmira’s powerful story of transformation and faith.

3. Proverbs 18:10 — God is our shelter.

Difficult times can leave us feeling exposed and unprotected. However God offers us security that isn’t dependent on our situation. Proverbs 18:10 says: “The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe” (NLT). God doesn’t promise that we’ll never experience pain; instead He gives much deeper comfort than our circumstances can provide.

Regardless of the chaos around or within us, the Lord’s name — which can also be translated as His “glory, reputation and identity” — offers shelter for the hearts and minds of His children. If God Himself is our refuge, nothing can threaten our ultimate safety.

The Kunama people have experienced this truth. Their peaceful way of life was shaken in the late 1990s when civil unrest broke out in Eritrea, a country in East Africa. Kunama people were forced to flee — some to nearby Ethiopia and some to Sudan where they lived in refugee camps (some for months and some for several years). Other Kunama people have been scattered across the globe. For most of them, returning home isn’t an option.

But God is at work through the Kunama diaspora! See how God is using Bible translation to bring hope and healing to them.

4. Psalm 56:8 — Our sorrow matters to God.

The psalmist David faced nearly constant hardship, from betrayal by friends and family to threats against his life. While he was being held captive by an enemy nation, he penned this prayer: “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (NLT).

When we’re hurting we may feel like God is distant or distracted, but He’s described here in a profoundly tender, engaged and intimate way. God cared about David’s heartache enough to notice and remember each tear, and He cares about our sorrows with the same gentle intensity. Nothing we go through escapes His compassionate attention.

From Sorrow to Joy: Anik’s Story

Anik lived with a difficult illness, making it hard to provide for his family. Financial struggles weighed heavily on them, and sorrow filled their home.

But nearby, Anik noticed something different about another family facing similar hardships. Though they lacked material wealth, they were joyful. Every Sunday, Anik could hear their worship and heartfelt prayers — and to his surprise, they were praying for their neighbors, including him.

Amazed by their kindness, Anik asked them about the God they praised. They shared their greatest treasure with him: God’s Word in his language.

As Anik read about Jesus’ loving sacrifice, his heart was transformed. He placed his faith in Christ, and one by one, his family did the same. Their circumstances didn’t change overnight, but their hearts did.

“Today, we never call ourselves poor, because the love of the Lord God is with us,” Anik said.

Through Scripture in his own language, Anik found the unshakable joy and peace of Christ — the same comfort God offers to every hurting heart.

5. Romans 8:26-27 — The Holy Spirit prays on our behalf.

Sometimes our suffering is so intense that we can’t even find the words to pray. But our inability to form cohesive thoughts doesn’t frustrate God or derail His plan. The Holy Spirit takes our unspoken confusion and heartache to the Father, translating our tears into effective prayers.

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will” (NLT).

Just as the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, we can intercede for others — especially those still waiting for God’s Word in their language. When we pray Scripture, we align ourselves with God’s heart and join Him in His work among the nations.

Need help knowing what to pray? Read how you can use Scripture to guide your prayers for Bible translation.

6. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 — We have each other.

Not only do we have the companionship and comfort of the Holy Spirit in hard times, but we also have the chance to develop community with others: “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (NLT).

As we endure difficulties, we can reach out to brothers and sisters in Christ who have experienced similar struggles, borrowing their strength and hope as we move forward. And as we begin to find our own footing on the path through suffering, we can turn around and offer comfort to those journeying behind us.

God’s Word doesn’t just transform our individual lives — it transforms entire communities too. Felix Kaibene, pastor and translator for the Niellim community in Chad, said:

“… Seeing the impact the Holy Scriptures have made on our community spiritually, socioeconomically and culturally causes us to bless God. Indeed, today we recognize that community transformation in how our way of life has changed: People are committed to hearing the Word of God and putting it into practice. The traditional ways of treating women and girls at home or in marriage are changing [and] the ways that farming or fishing produce is managed are also changing …”

Celebrate with the Niellim and two more communities who now have the New Testaments in their languages!

7. Revelation 21:3-4 — Our suffering will end in joy.

No matter how deeply we ache now, suffering has an expiration date: “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, ‘Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever’” (NLT).

Our hard times won’t just get better — hardship will completely cease to exist someday! This passage isn’t wishful imagination. It’s an unshakeable promise of a real day when we’ll live with God and experience His complete restoration in heaven. There will be no more sin or brokenness, no more fear, loss or grief. There will just be freedom, joy and wholeness forever.

God’s loving hands have been around His children from the beginning of time, and His plan of victory and redemption through His Son has never wavered. Our path may lead through suffering for a while, but God is with His people every step of the way, tenderly caring for us, giving us refuge, growing our strength, hearing our hearts, drawing us into community and leading us toward complete wholeness. Until our permanent healing comes, we can continue to find the steady light of hope in His Word.

Hope and Joy in the Midst of Suffering

Deep in one of the world’s largest refugee settlements, an unexpected outbreak of joy took place.

The Keliko people, displaced from their homeland in South Sudan, faced the same hardships as their neighbors in Uganda’s Bidi Bidi refugee settlement. They endured food rations, overcrowded classrooms and the daily struggle for resources. But unlike many around them, they overflowed with joy.

Why? Because they had God’s Word in their language.

“We know that the Israelites went to stay in Egypt in exile and that they really suffered. And God cared for them and brought them back to their land,” said translator and pastor Ezekiah Dada. “So also we South Sudanese know … that God is there to take care of us, and God is there to bring us back to our land.”

For 33 years, the Keliko people longed for the Bible in their language.

The impact was undeniable — having God’s Word in their own language led many people to accept Christ. At a funeral, translator Isaac Kenyi sang a song based on Keliko Scriptures, and 20 people came to faith. Bishop Seme Nigo Abiuda preached from a translated passage, and 48 people received Jesus as their Savior.

Holding the newly printed Keliko New Testament, translator and pastor Enos Dada declared, “This is for salvation. … When you read [the words] it will guide you not to fall in sin. It is a safeguard. It is a shelter.”

Even as they worshipped under plastic tarps and branches, the Keliko understood James 1:2-5 in a way few others could. They had learned to count it all joy. They are not just surviving — they are flourishing, knowing that one day, God will wipe away every tear and restore all things. Until that day comes, His Word is their refuge, their strength and their unshakable hope.

Share the Light

Did you know that there are people around the world still waiting for the hope of God’s Word in their language?

These life-changing Bible verses offer profound comfort and spiritual strength in times of suffering by emphasizing the transformative power of God’s Word. Yet for many people worldwide without access to the Bible in a language that speaks to their heart, this hope is out of reach.

As you use these Scriptures to practice enduring faith and find comfort in hard times, pray for those who don’t yet have Scripture as you read one of the most hope-filled passages in the Bible: Romans 8. Soak in radiant truths like these reminders for resilience:

• Living in relationship with Jesus removes all condemnation from our lives (v. 1).


• The Holy Spirit sets us free from the control of sin and leads us to life and peace (vv. 5-6).


• We don’t need to fear, because God is our Father (v. 15).


• What we suffer now can’t compare to the glory that’s coming (v. 18).


• God transforms even the hardest things into tools for our ultimate good (v. 28).


• Absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God (v. 38).

Having Scripture in your own language is important — it’s the way we can understand God’s love for us and His plan for our lives. It enables people to dive into God’s Word, cultivate enduring faith and cling to biblical hope.

Let’s pray for Bible translation efforts so that those still waiting for God’s Word in their language can experience Scripture’s transformative impact on their lives too.

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