To be completely honest, for most of my life I really struggled to believe in God’s unfailing love for me.
I was in several abusive relationships, and my home life wasn’t great. I had gone through a lot, and I just kind of landed on, “Oh, okay. I’m definitely God’s first mistake.” I didn’t feel loved, and I didn’t feel like I mattered.
I was also severely addicted to porn. I didn’t have friends, and I didn’t know how to connect with people. It was awful.
So maybe you searched for Bible verses about God’s unfailing love, and you’re not sure it applies to you. I get it. I lived there for a long time. These are the verses that have carried me, along with what God has been showing me through each one.
What Does “Unfailing Love” Mean in the Bible?
The phrase “unfailing love” comes from the NIV. In the ESV, the same Hebrew word, chesed, is usually translated “steadfast love.” Chesed shows up 244 times in the Old Testament. The NIV translates it as “love,” “kindness,” “unfailing love,” “great love,” and even “mercy,” because one English word can’t hold all of it.[1]
It’s closely tied to God’s covenant, but it’s bigger than covenant faithfulness. God’s deep love is what moved Him to make covenants with us in the first place. His chesed comes straight out of His own loving character. That’s why Stephen Miller suggests “faithful loving-kindness” might capture it best, since it carries love, kindness, and loyalty all at once.[2]
I love both translations, because together they paint the whole picture. Unfailing means it never runs out. Steadfast means it doesn’t move. God’s love for you is fixed, firm, and completely non-negotiable. It isn’t based on how well you’re doing, but on who He is.
For such a long time, I chased God’s approval and love. Then I finally understood I didn’t have to earn it. He’d still love me even if I never did anything again, and that blew my mind. And honestly, it made me want to do MORE for Him, because He loved me so unconditionally. It’s wild how that works.
Bible Verses About God’s Unfailing Love
When You Need a Fresh Start
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NIV).
The ESV says it this way: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV).
I feel like I’ve needed a fresh start like that literally every day of my life. I’ve needed it after snapping at my son, losing my temper, and going back to porn again. Every single morning, His love was still there, waiting for me to start again.
“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14, NIV).
When You Wake Up Already Behind
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life” (Psalm 143:8, NIV).
I used to get up every morning, spend time in my Bible, and remind myself how much God loves me. Lately, I haven’t been in that habit, and I can physically feel the difference.
This morning, as I’m writing this, I got up and did my Bible time. Then I just spent some time looking at God’s creation, and I was like, “Wow, He really does love me.” That’s crazy to think about.
I constantly have to remind myself that if God can take care of the flowers, He can take care of me, too. This is especially true when it comes to taking care of my body. He made the lilies beautiful and they don’t even have to try. That’s why I made the Lilies of the Field sticker, so you could have a reminder on your water bottle, computer or even your Bible that God’s always got you. Check it out on the sticker shop here!
When Everything Feels Like It’s Shaking
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you (Isaiah 54:10, NIV).
Right now, there’s ChristCore Fest, international travel, debt and financial struggles, and grad school. Goodness, grad school is kicking my butt so hard.
God has pulled me through all of it, and I’m not going to lie, I’m still in it. I’m still struggling to wrap my head around the fact that He’s going to pull me through. But even in the middle of it, I know He’s got it, and I know He loves me.
When You Feel Forgotten
“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation” (Psalm 13:5, NIV).
David wrote this right after asking God how long He would forget him. And honestly, that’s kind of where I am right now with school. I know God told me to be in school, but I don’t understand why, especially right now. It doesn’t make sense to me, and at this point, I really don’t want to do it.
But I know God called me to it, and I have to trust that He’s going to make it worth it. I keep coming back to this: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV).
When You’re Afraid Something Could Separate You From Him
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39, NIV).
For most of my life, the thing I was most afraid could separate me from God was my porn addiction. The shame around it was so heavy. But nothing in all creation means nothing, and that includes your sin, your addiction, and your shame.
When Human Love Has Failed You
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV).
Humans have failed me a lot, and men in particular have failed me a lot. So the idea of God as a loving Father was really hard for me to wrap my head around. If that’s you too, I process a lot of that in God, Where Were You?.
The more I think about it and process it, the easier it gets to separate the two. If Jesus thought about me while He was on the cross, who am I to question anything? He gave His Son for us, and I think that’s pretty incredible.
More Bible Verses About God’s Unfailing Love
- “Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love” (Psalm 6:4, NIV).
- “Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him” (Psalm 32:10, NIV).
- “May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you” (Psalm 33:22, NIV).
- “How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 36:7, NIV).
- “The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love” (Psalm 147:11, NIV).
- “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling” (Exodus 15:13, NIV).
Knowing God Loves You vs. Actually Believing It
For most of my life, I knew God loved me, kind of. But I didn’t actually start believing it until the last three or four years.
I’m still learning this, and I’m not good at it. But when I really process and believe that God loves me, I move differently, think differently, and handle things differently. I’m such a vastly different person that I can barely remember what it was like when I didn’t believe it.
If the God of the universe, the God who created everything, loves me, then there’s nothing I can’t do. If He’s called me to something, who am I to question it? Who am I to not be obedient?
What to Do When You Don’t Feel God’s Love
Honestly? Sit in it, and take it to God. He’s big enough to handle your big feelings. He’s big enough to handle your anger, your doubt, and your frustration. If you give all of it to Him, He’ll handle it.
Knowing God’s love is unfailing has also changed how I handle my own failures. I don’t snap at my family as often as I used to. When I do get it wrong, I’m quick to apologize and own it. When you know His love isn’t going anywhere, you don’t have to hide your mess anymore.
If You Feel Completely Unlovable Right Now
If you searched for these verses at 2 a.m. feeling unlovable, know this: the Lord loves you so much. He cares about you, and He wants so much more for you than you could ever ask, think, or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
His love for you is unfailing, and it is steadfast. It isn’t going to run out, and it isn’t going to move.
Footnotes
[1] Stephen R. Miller, Nahum-Malachi, ed. Max Anders, Holman Old Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2004), commentary on Zechariah 7:9, Logos Bible Software.
[2] Miller, Nahum-Malachi, commentary on Zechariah 7:9.
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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