Bible Verses About Caring for Others

Caring for others encompasses many roles. It may come from someone who has been trained in caregiving, or someone stepping in to care for others in need. Regardless of our training or experience, caregiving can be a fulfilling and joyful experience, but also exhausting, lonely, and challenging. There is One who wants to give us the strength, encouragement, and grace to do our job well and preserve our peace. Here are 20 Bible Verses about caring for others to encourage you as you serve in this selfless role.

My Dad became a widower quite unexpectedly. I had to show him how to iron his clothes and clean a toilet after my mom suddenly passed away and before I made my way home out-of-state.

From a distance, I took care of everything medical. But that left my sister to pick up the pieces of his daily needs, and as his health declined, this became an enormous burden.

She worked a full-time job as a teacher and lived about 45 minutes away from Dad. Years of the day-to-day stressors and the middle of the night calls and trips to the hospital wore her down.  

It took a severe toll on her physical and mental health. Does any of this sound familiar to you?

God sees you in all the struggles you experience. There is help, hope, and sound advice for caregivers in His Word. Let’s get started!

Bible Verses For Caregivers

Caregivers carry a big load. Their job involves meeting someone else’s physical and emotional needs while simultaneously trying to keep up with their own lives and relationships.

God’s Word can be the source of comfort and encouragement you need for this demanding job. It reminds us that our Jehovah Jireh– the God who provides- sees to your every need. El Roi- the God who sees- watches out for you and cares for you.

Galatians 5:13

Paul instructs us to “Serve one another humbly in love.”

This is the essence of our Christian life. We strive to imitate Jesus’ selfless and humble love by serving others. Caregivers live out this love every day.

You glorify God in your loving service to others.

John 15:12

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Did you catch that this is His command for us? He created us for this purpose — to love God and love others. Saying “yes” to the call of caregiving is one way to answer this command.

He can work something extraordinary through you when you obey His call in the caregiving role.

Ephesians 1:19

“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses…”

The very power of God- Him who raised Jesus from the dead- lives within us! It is what allows us to transform into His likeness and reject the ways of the enemy.

 You can use His power to love others in your caregiving role, no matter how difficult the path.

Psalms for Caregivers

Caregiving can be isolating and difficult. It’s hard to see someone we love in pain or struggling. It can be a thankless task.

People experiencing heartache, hard decisions, and in need of comfort wrote the Psalms. They shared their honest feelings and emotions with God.

Maybe one of the following will speak to your heart and become a prayer to uplift and comfort you.

Psalm 3:3- Trusting in God for protection and peace- “You are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”

Psalm 91:1-2- God’s protection over you- “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.’”

Psalm 94:18- His support and love- “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping’, your love, O Lord, supported me.”

Psalm 121:5- His watchful eye is upon you day and night– “The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.”

Psalm 145:18- Call out to Him; He is always by your side- “The Lord is near to all who call on him.”

Claiming His truth, love, and promises for yourself can bring joy and peace into your caregiving journey.

Encouragement for Caregivers

Galatians 6:9

“Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap a harvest if we do not lose heart.” NKJV.

I love this version’s words “if we do not lose heart.” Caregiving requires a loving and selfless spirit that expects nothing in return. Patience and perseverance keep us from growing weary and losing heart in our work.

Philippians 3:14

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

God promises blessing for those who persevere. The “prize” is working in tandem with God to do His work here on earth, and the everlasting glory of life eternal with Him!

Proverbs 11:25

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Claim this promise from God for yourself! He is promising to bless your generous spirit with His refreshment.

(This is also a call to those of us who know caregivers. Bless them with the gift of refreshment as they have so generously refreshed others!)

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declared the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Do you feel inadequate for the job? Did you have to put your own plans on hold to become a caregiver? Has the
timing interfered with your life?

These are all normal feelings and responses when the caregiver role drops into our lives. It may involve giving up and letting go of things that we enjoyed or were looking forward to.

God gave this promise to His people while they were in captivity in Babylon. But you too, are in His thoughts! His plans for you are peace of mind and hope for the future.

Blessed are the Caregivers’ Bible Verse

The word “caregiver” is not found in the Bible, but this verse comes up frequently when you look up the phrase “Blessed are the Caregivers.”

Hebrews 6:10

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.”

The last thing God wants for you is to become discouraged as you serve. He hasn’t forgotten you. He sees what you are doing and everything you are going through.

 Let this promise wash over you and refresh you when serving saps your energy.

Bible Verses about Caring for Family

God always wants us to focus more on others than ourselves. He wants us to treat others as we would want to be treated. The first place we should look to obey these commands is within our family.

Galatians 6:2

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Does a family member need encouragement, relief from a troublesome burden, or help in their day to day activities? Sharing their load is a way to live out Jesus’ command to love one another.

Exodus 20:12

“Honor your father and mother.”

The Fifth commandment tells us that when we honor our parents, we respect, appreciate, and obey them. God created the family and made parents the head of the home to create stability.

This makes it difficult when our parents don’t appreciate what we are doing for them. My dad would lash out at my sister, which was extremely hurtful. She felt unappreciated after all she had given up and done for him.

These feelings are not uncommon- both for the elderly parent and the caregiver.

Scripture When Family Hurts You

Luke 6:27-28

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

The parent/family member may be dealing with chronic pain/illness or experience frustration that they can no longer care for themselves. In these moments, they lash out with words that hurt.

The caregiver may feel unappreciated and angry that their many sacrifices go unrecognized.

Loving someone as Jesus has loved us means we are willing to forgive and show grace, as He does. He wants us to pass it on to others to show them Himself through you.

Romans 12:18

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you. Live at peace with everyone.”

The Greek translation of “If it is possible” means to have “strength of soul.” Caregiving is not for the fainthearted! It means to bear your trial with courage and patience.

There may be times when it is not possible. That is a red flag to focus on taking care of yourself, which helps prevent burnout. It may also signal that it is time for boundaries to be put in place.

Biblical Boundaries with Family

A boundary can be put in place to protect us from others who drain us emotionally or cross the line into harmful and destructive actions. Sometimes we need to say “no” to the ones we love.

We also know we need to honor our parents, even if they behave in hurtful ways. How can we accomplish this?

Ephesians 4:32

Paul tells us to “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

But he also reminds us that we are to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) It is not ungodly to set a boundary when a family member’s behavior or words are hurtful, but we must do it with love, self-control, and grace.

Here are some steps to consider to set up Biblical boundaries:

●Most importantly; forgive them. Forgiveness isn’t easy, especially if they are unrepentant or remain hostile. We forgive because we have been forgiven. It doesn’t mean we accept bad behavior, but forgiveness will bring peace to our heart.

●Reach out to reconcile with them as God does to us (over and over…) Tell them how their behavior or words make you feel. Try to speak to them about why they feel angry or frustrated.

●Pray for your parent; for a sensitive and kind spirit towards you and the Holy Spirit to help you honor them even in hard moments.

●We can love and honor our parents and still confront them with the hope of reconciliation and peace. Discussions done with love help soften what they need to hear and can lead to changed hearts.

The staff at my dad’s assisted living facility stepped in to let him know his words were not OK, which helped him become repentant. If needed, seek a pastor, friend, or relative to speak to your loved one for you.

Caregiver Fatigue

Caregiving can bring us closer to our loved one and bring joy and peace into the relationship. It can also bring an emotional and physical toll on the caregiver.

●Don’t be silent or neglect yourself when you give more than you take in. Know your limitations!

●The enemy wants us to feel lonely and isolated. He would love for you to feel guilty for taking time for yourself. In reality, it is essential that you care for yourself so that you can give your best to those you care for.

●Identify (or cultivate!) your social support system so they can be on hand when you need them. Who will pray for you? After Jesus, who do you need to discuss what you are feeling? When you need a break, who can give respite care?

●A counselor can help you work through difficult emotions and help you find social support in your community.

●There is even a myriad of online support groups to match your caregiving situation. We used “A Place for Mom” over twenty years ago and it heartened me to see they are still working to help caregivers work through their experiences.

Here’s a link to their “Best Caregiver Support Groups Online and In-Person”- https://www.aplaceformom.com/caregiver-resources/articles/caregiver-support-groups

Spiritual Needs of Caregivers

It is important that you care for your spiritual needs. Uniting with God to carry out your caregiving role helps you feel His presence and hear His voice more clearly. Know that He is with you always, you are never alone, and that He never leaves you.

This is one of my very favorite verses to claim when I am having a difficult time:

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Claim His truth and promises for yourself and let your reactions come from them instead of your feelings.

Qualities of a Caregiver

Caregiving requires selfless love, mercy, and compassion towards those God has placed in our care. He chose you, and you accepted through obedience.

But we need God’s help to serve in this way! He is faithful to provide all we need in our caregiving role.

I’d like to leave you with one more Bible verse from the Parable of the Talents.

In the parable, the master gave his servants talents (money) to invest. The talents represent the resources God gives to us. The master expected the servants to use the talents wisely for him.

For that, they received praise and a promise of blessings.

Likewise, our Father is looking for our faithfulness, loyalty, and devotion to Him in the tasks He gives.

At some point, this mission will end, and your Master will say to you:

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:23.

Your caregiving qualities and acts of service do not go unnoticed. May God bless you richly in your caregiving journey!

Blessings!

AnnMarie

All Scripture is taken from the NIV unless specified otherwise.

I created these Scripture Cards with 6 of the verses from this post. They are wonderful reminders of God’s presence in your life and work. Click on the image to go to my Resource Page where you can download and print them. There are even blank cards there if you wish to use your own verses!

Photo Credit: Canva