The life of a woman still navigating her young adult years can be full of noise: the noise of comparison, the noise of pressure, the noise of doubt.
I remember these days as an interesting dichotomy. While some days were full of questions, there were others brimming with such excitement, I knew I would one day look back on this wild ride fondly.
I was thankful to have a guidebook for my wanderings, and the great news is that you do too: the Bible. While there can be a lot of turmoil in this season of life, below are seven Scriptures that support the struggles many young women face.
1. Psalm 139:14
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Body image and beauty standards tend to be at the forefront of many thoughts during this phase of life. Everywhere we look, we are being told what size we should be, what body shape is best for the clothes we love, and what features would be ideal. This is, quite frankly, exhausting.
I have found myself at different points in my life looking at other women and thinking some variation of this phrase, “What I wouldn’t give to have that figure.”
Do you want to know the truth about these thoughts? They are a lie. The Bible gives us some gems that show how we should see ourselves because it is how God sees us.
Psalm 139:14 shows us that we are perfectly made in the image of God, and 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” We are created beautifully and thoughtfully, from the inside out.
Your features are not an accident. They are God’s ideal for you, and you were made to be a unique creation of the Creator Himself. He does not make mistakes, and when He made you, He called you wonderful.
2. 2 Corinthians 10:12
…when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.
Our generation has been gifted the lovely invention of social media, which has become a highlight reel of everyone’s life. As we scroll through everyone’s perfectly curated pictures, comparison seeps in like a thief in the night. It quietly steals your joy and convinces you that God has been more generous to everyone else. Spoiler alert, He hasn’t.
Second Corinthians 10:12 tells us when we compare ourselves to others, we lack understanding. Galatians 6:4 also addresses this when it says, “But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.”
The Bible reminds us that we are not to compare ourselves or our journeys. God is doing something in and through you that He is not doing in and through someone else. His kingdom is more robust from the individuality of His work in our lives.
Your life is no less than anyone else’s. God is writing a unique story that is yours and yours alone, with His stamp of approval all over it. What more could we need? Do not let someone else’s careful curation blind you to what God is doing.
3. 1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
Relationships can be toxic. Likely, you have had a relationship at some point that asked you to compromise who you are, a friendship that drained you, or someone in your life who tore you down rather than built you up. God cares very much about the company you keep.
First Corinthians 15:33 is blunt in stating that bad company can ruin our goodness. And Proverbs 4:23 reminds us of the importance of guarding our hearts when it says, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”
Boundaries are not bad. You are allowed to set them and keep them so that you are not pulled away from who the Lord has designed you to be. Protecting your heart is wise, not selfish.
4. Philippians 4:6–7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Young adulthood can be fraught with overthinking and worry. I spent so much of that season worrying about everything and certainly overthinking every decision.
If you tend to spiral by replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, and losing peace over things you cannot control, there is a lot of Scripture for you. Worry is a struggle as old as time, and God approaches us with such gentleness on this subject.
Philippians 4:6–7 is a very famous verse for its phrasing, “Do not be anxious.” Plain and simple, the Lord says we should not worry. Matthew 6:34 reiterates this when it says, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
This is a good reminder to take each day as it comes and keep your eyes on what the Lord is doing now.
Every single worry and doubt can be brought to the Lord in prayer. Our relationship with the Lord is strengthened in these prayer sessions, where we lay our worries at His feet and, in return, He offers us a peace we cannot understand. I don’t know about you, but that is a trade I see worth making.
5. Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
How many people in your circle seem to have their lives clearly and confidently figured out? Do their plans make you feel behind? Lost and wandering? In the dark? Questioning your future? I have news for you: your roadmap was not forgotten.
Jeremiah 29:11 has been an anthem for so many, as it reminds us that the Lord has a plan for our lives, something we’re often inclined to forget. And Proverbs 3:5–6 supports this idea by commanding us to trust the Lord’s plans.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
If the path ahead of you is unclear, that does not mean you are lost. Likely, you are right in the middle of something grand the Lord is doing. We are not meant to have it all figured out, but we are meant to trust the One leading us.
6. James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
I have long held the opinion that doubt is a crucial cornerstone to a deeper faith in God. It is from our places of doubt that we dig deeper and find more genuine faith in what God is doing in our lives.
If you have ever asked hard questions, wondered if God was real, or felt like your faith was too weak, then you’re in the company of prophets, disciples, and people throughout history who have been in your shoes.
Doubting your faith and what God may be doing is a normal reaction to life. James 1:5 is a great guide, but it is also helpful to see how those before us responded to life’s impossible moments.
Go read stories such as the one when Jesus healed the boy with the unclean spirit, and in witnessing this, “immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24).
Do not be afraid to bring your doubt to God. He can handle anything you bring to Him, because He already knows it anyway. He is not offended by your questions; He welcomes them.
When our faith survives these honest sessions with the Lord, it becomes immensely stronger.
7. Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Peer pressure is alive and real during this time of life. We can often be surrounded by people who make different decisions from us. People test their values during this season of life, and the temptation to do so can be hard to ignore. The pressure to fit in, to go along, to not be the “weird” one is real. But God calls you to something better than belonging to the crowd.
Romans 12:2 reminds us how we are set apart from the world, but 1 Peter 2:9 reminds us how we are set apart: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
You are not meant to live like everyone else. You are called to be set apart, and it’s a privilege. The world doesn’t need another person following the crowd. It needs you, living with conviction and grace.
Whatever reason you had in searching for the Lord’s truth today, you should know God sees you. He has not forgotten you, nor has He decided your life doesn’t matter. He knows where you are, and He longs for you to have the reassurance you need to navigate this tricky season. He is close, He is kind, and His Word is active in your life right this very minute.
No matter what life throws at you and no matter which season you encounter it, you can come back to His word over and over again for the guidance you need.
More Encouragement for Young Women Seeking God’s Truth
Whatever you’re facing today, God’s Word has so much more to say to you in your current season. If today’s Scriptures gave you something to hold onto, these articles will help you keep going deeper into the truth and courage He has for you right now.
- 7 Bible Verses for College Students Navigating Uncertainty
- Battling Your Body Image Giants
- Comparison Is the Enemy of Community
You Are Unshaken
In You Are Unshaken, Laura Krokos shows us how to wield God’s Word as a weapon against anxiety, shame, and fear, so we can remain unshaken in our changing world. This book is more than a call to know God. It is a reminder of who we already are because of who God has always been.
Being Fully Known
Are you weary of the pressure to do more when you long to be more of who God created you to be? Step into your God-given, joy-filled identity as you follow the mentoring of the Holy Spirit through this life-changing guide.
