Whether you’re new to the faith of Christianity or you’ve been a follower of Christ for most of your life, sometimes it’s important to renew your commitment to the Lord. Just as couples often recommit themselves to their marriage by renewing their vows, it’s important to remind yourself why you’re a believer and why you’re following Jesus at different points throughout your life.

By focusing on and renewing your faith, you are not suggesting to yourself, God, or anyone else that your faith hasn’t been authentic or valid in the past. Instead, it’s a way to re-center yourself on what’s most important in your life: Jesus and your relationship with him.

Here are five verses that will help you refocus on the essentials of your faith, whether you’re in good times or bad:

Romans 10: 9-13

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Luke 9: 23-26

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?  Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

1 Peter 5: 6-7

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Isaiah 26: 3-4

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.  Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

Romans 4: 20-21

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Matthew 5: 3-11

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.