“Do you have a life verse?”
It’s not uncommon to be asked if you have a life verse when you are a part of Christian groups or church. Maybe you know the answer right away or maybe you’re like I was for years and felt very uncomfortable and slightly confused with that question.
I didn’t always have a verse that I claimed as my “life verse”. Maybe there was one that I memorized as a child that I thought was a good one, but I didn’t have a verse that I felt defined who I was or who I wanted to be.
I guess I never really took the time to sit and talk to God about it.
What’s a life verse?
A life verse is defined as a specific Bible verse that a Christian believes to be specially representative or predictive of his or her life. Many regard their life verse as an inspirational motto or lifelong mission statement.
Do I have to have one?
Nope. Nobody says you need to have a life verse. It’s definitely not a requirement to be a Christian, to follow Jesus, or to enter into Heaven.
It’s also ok to have many verses that you claim as your “life verse”.
There’s no right or wrong here, I just wanted to take the opportunity to encourage you to find one if you haven’t already.
Why? Well, for me, finally finding my life verse gave me a sense of purpose and encouragement. When I find myself going through a hard time, I stand on this verse to get me through.
How to find your life verse
Read the Bible
Reading God’s Word daily will allow you to discover so much truth and love and wisdom.
It’s there somewhere on those pages. Not just a single verse for you- but a whole book full of letters written for those who are followers of Jesus. And within that, there will be many many verses that will speak directly into your heart, giving you exactly what you may need at many different times in your life.
And maybe you will discover that one special verse that speaks to you.
Write down Scripture that inspires you
You probably already have a couple of verses that you know or love. Keep a journal of some of your favorites so that you can see them all together.
Read them out loud. Dwell on them and see if there are any that really jump off that page at you.
Maybe your pastor speaks on a verse or subject that really resonates with you. Write it down.
Think about your goals
Do you have any goals in life? Maybe you want to raise Godly children or help the homeless. Maybe overseas missions speaks to you or you want to help your family or friends find Jesus.
You get the idea. Write down some of your goals, hopes, wishes, dreams- whatever you call them and then google verses that may go along with them.
Don’t be afraid to change
Once you have your life verse, know that life changes and it’s ok for your verse to change with you.
As a teenager, you may hold onto Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
As a new parent you may decide that you can’t do this thing on your own and claim 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 direct your paths.”
The Word of God is alive and active and continues to speak to us throughout our lives. You can read the same verse over the course of your life and it will mean different things. For instance- “For I know the plans” can calm your heart knowing you can trust God to care for you as you look for a school, a house, struggle to have children, endure a miscarriage, lose a loved one, and so on.
How I found my life verse
For me, my life verse just kind of found me. Like I said earlier, being in the Word is key to hearing from God. After all, He speaks to us directly through the Bible.
I was reading through James, probably my favorite book of the Bible, when verse 12 from Chapter 1 just popped out at me.
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
I read that verse over and over and over again.
I had been thinking alot about pineapples not long before reading this and when trying to piece it all together, I felt like God added a bit to this verse for me specifically through the wisdom of a friend.
It wasn’t just about getting through the trials that life throws, it was about not allowing those trials to make me bitter.
Maybe you’ve seen the little signs about pineapples saying “Be a Pineapple. Stand tall, wear a crown, and be sweet on the inside.”
I decided that that was why I couldn’t get pineapples off my mind. To piece the two together. To give me a symbol to go with that verse. So that every time I saw a pineapple, I would remember who it is that God wants me to be.
That’s the cool thing about Bible journaling. Attaching an image to a verse absolutely ingrains it into my mind!
Check out this Bible journaling page to see the pineapple in my Bible.
My goals
I know that life throws a bunch of junk at us. I know that it can be very easy to become angry and bitter because of it. That is not who I want to be.
I want to be the kind of woman that perseveres through all of life’s frustrations, let-downs, and set-backs. I want to not only get through it, but I want to come out on the other side stronger and sweeter than before.
Because the experiences we have in life give us the opportunity to either shrink or grow. To hold our emotions in or to be able to show mercy and compassion to others going through what we came out of. To gain wisdom to better weather the next storm or to hide and cower at the future.
I want to stand tall under trial, stay sweet through it all, and by doing that know that I will receive my crown.
So, should you have a Life verse?
It’s really up to you but I can tell you between the times of not having one and having one, I’ve developed a sense of direction and purpose.
Maybe you don’t need to find that one specific verse that wraps up your life’s ambition, but I do think you should have verses that direct your life. That give you a sense of purpose and help you remain determined to do this life thing and do it well.
what’s your verse?
Take a moment to ask God, “What do you want for my life?”
Maybe you already have a verse- is it still relevant?
Maybe you are searching for one- I’m praying you’ll find it.
Maybe you aren’t sure what to think- that’s ok too. You will discover all God has for you exactly at the moment you need it as long as you’re open to listening.
Feel Free to share
I would love to hear your life verse and maybe a little of how it came about. Feel free to leave me a comment about it! It may help others searching as well!
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