What are the keys to finding and maintaining stability in life?
Psalm 37:24Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.
Psalm 40:1-2I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
Proverbs 14:26Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children.
Isaiah 26:3You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Ephesians 3:17Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
Colossians 2:5-7Though I [Paul] am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
1 Peter 1:21Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.
We must nurture a personal relationship with God. He promises to keep us steady through the chaos of life.
Psalm 21:7The king trusts in the Lord. The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling.
Psalm 66:9Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling.
Psalm 125:1Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.
Hebrews 3:14If we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
Hebrews 6:18So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
Hebrews 10:23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
1 Peter 5:9-10Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are. In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.
We must trust God’s promises and review them often. They never fail. We are to learn what they are, and then live with the certainty that they will happen.
Deuteronomy 5:32So Moses told the people, “You must be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, following his instructions in every detail.”
Deuteronomy 28:9“If you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would do.”
Psalm 17:5My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you.
Psalm 63:8I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.
2 Timothy 3:16-17All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Matthew 7:24-27“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
We need to study and obey God’s Word, the Bible. We must put its principles into practice. If we love God, we will love his words and desire to obey them.
Psalm 15:5Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.
Proverbs 10:9People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.
We must live with integrity. Integrity is stability of character. We must be known as people who keep our word, who always try to do what is right, and who immediately make corrections when we realize we are wrong. Then our lives will move a stable direction; others will trust us because they know they can count on us.
Proverbs 28:2When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.
James 3:13If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
Consistently making wise choices is a key to stability in life. We must dedicate ourselves to becoming wise by spending time with God and wise people. Wisdom from God glues the pieces of our lives together and helps everything make sense.
Psalm 37:34Put your hope in the Lord. Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you by giving you the land. You will see the wicked destroyed.
James 1:2-5Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
James 5:8, 11You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. . . . We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.
We must be patient when life isn’t going our way. The fulfillment of God’s plan is rarely early and never late. Waiting for him to act is a sign of stability. In the meantime, we are developing endurance.
Proverbs 4:26Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.
1 Corinthians 15:58So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
1 Corinthians 16:13Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.
We must be committed to persevere in our faith no matter what. We need a plan to serve God and avoid temptation. Lack of commitment is the first step toward the breakdown of stability.
1 Corinthians 15:58So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
We are called to enthusiastically serve God, knowing our work for him is worthwhile. This will bring stability to our daily activities.
Proverbs 3:5-6Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
Proverbs 10:25When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.
Proverbs 12:3Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.
We should make every decision as we think Jesus would, acknowledging him even when we don’t know what he would do. Godly choices are not always about what’s best for us, but what is best for God’s plan and for others. Following and obeying God builds stability because God is changeless.
Proverbs 29:4A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it.
We are called to be just in all our dealings. Injustice tears communities apart; justice glues them together. Justice brings stability to a family, a city, a nation.
Ephesians 6:13Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
2 Peter 3:17You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.
We should be prepared for attacks from Satan, our enemy. Wearing God’s armor and developing skill in its use gives us stability as we engage in spiritual warfare.
