I hope you love the products and resources I recommend here at A Little R & R. Just so you know, it is possible that I get a commission and collect income from the links on this page. Click here for more info.

Living with chronic illness is a roller coaster of ups and downs; and so often a small thing like a little cold can send you into a crash or flare up.

It can be discouraging and even depressing.

That’s why today I want to give you 10 Bible verses for chronic illness that will encourage you and help you to continue walking in the joy of the Lord even in the midst of crashes, flare ups, discouragement and depression.

Some time ago, I woke up and marched out to my “War Room”.

Yes, I marched. I didn’t walk, I didn’t saunter, I didn’t even stumble in those early hours of the morning when normal people are sleeping.

I marched.

It was symbolic for me.

Anyone who battles a chronic illness will understand what I’m about to share.

I have battled Adrenal Fatigue for many years. I am not sure for how long, since I had already battled fatigue for at least a few year before I found out what I had.

In 2006 I was told I had chronic fatigue. Since I didn’t “believe in that”, I pushed myself to the point of exhaustion.

I often battle fatigue, sometimes it is accompanied by depression. I recently walked through such a season and it came to a point when I knew I needed to take serious action.

I began digging out verses on joy to meditate on.

Naturally, one verse I turned to was Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'”

Such a great verse on joy! But did you notice the last part? Our strength comes from joy. But not just any joy – the joy of the Lord!

I’ve always known that, but for some reason as I tried to climb out of the blanket of fatigue that threatened to smother me with its weight, it took on new meaning.

Recently, I wrote a 5-part series on Adrenal Fatigue, but in all my research on food, sleep, stress, exercise and healthy eating I left out very important and critical element: the spirit.

No, I am not insinuating that Adrenal Fatigue, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia or any of these chronic illnesses that lead us to extreme fatigue are spiritual in nature. I don’t believe that at all. But I do believe that how we respond to them spiritually can make a difference!

If we only seek to resolve them in our body and soul and never seek a spiritual response, we’ll find ourselves stinted in our recovery.  But more than that, we’ll find ourselves continually back at square one.

I realized 2 things that day:

1. My mind played a critical role in my recovery. Much of stress comes from my mind and my thought patterns. I can’t wait to write more on that!!!

But the way I think and the thought patterns I develop can – and will – have a direct affect on the amount of fatigue I feel.

2. Joy isn’t circumstantial. Happiness is. Happiness relies on situations and circumstances, but joy is a choice. And joy is centered in Christ. So, I can be sick in body and I can be walking through a trial, and still have abundant joy because joy is centered in Christ and in Him I always have reason to rejoice!

And if joy is in Christ and the joy of the Lord is my strength then in Christ I can always find strength for my day.

And as I meditated on that all day, suddenly I began to feel the fatigue drain away.

The next day, I opened my concordance and began jotting down more verses on strength and all week I meditated on verses having to do with joy, strength, my mind and my thoughts.

And can I tell you that the depression is gone and despite minor setbacks – like a 2-day migraine – I feel better than I have in months.

10 Bible Verses for Chronic Illness

Dear sisters: our war rooms are for that purpose – to go to war. To war against not only the enemy of our souls, but the enemy of our bodies as well!

He attacks in sneaky ways, and one way he wants to attack us is through our bodies. As we battle chronic illness, he seeks to rob our joy. And by robbing our joy, he robs our strength!

But here are 10 verses (and there will be more of them coming in a prayer challenge later!) on strength that you can print out and put in your war room to remind yourself where your strength comes from.

1. Philippians 4:13

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

2. Psalm 18:2

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

3. Proverbs 10:29

“The way of the Lord is strength for the upright”

4. 2 Corinthians 12:9

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

5. Ephesians 3:16

“That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.”

6. Isaiah 40:31

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

7. Zechariah 10:12

“‘So I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they shall walk up and down in His name,’ says the Lord.”

8. Psalm 103:5

“Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

9. Isaiah 26:4

“Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.”

10. Psalm 27:1

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Get these Bible Verses for chronic illness today when you type your email in the form below:

Resources for the exhausted woman: