He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29–31
Waiting is one of the hardest parts of life. I remember in Bible college waiting for Terrie to come out of her dorm when we were dating. It seemed like it took forever! Then there was the waiting for our wedding day, the waiting for our children to be born, and later, the waiting through building programs and seasons of ministry when we were praying for God to provide and direct.
Nobody naturally enjoys waiting. We like answers, progress, resolution. We like to see the next step clearly. But the Christian life teaches us that waiting can be good when we are waiting on the Lord. This is not the waiting of impatience or uncertainty. It is the waiting of faith. It is a heart posture that says, “Lord, I trust Your timing. I trust Your wisdom. I trust Your way.”
There is a great difference between waiting on an event and waiting on the Lord. If we are only waiting for circumstances to change, our hearts become restless, frustrated, or discouraged. But when we are waiting on the Lord, we remember that He is working even when we cannot see it. He is preparing us, guiding us, strengthening us, and often arranging details we could never arrange ourselves.
In times of waiting, God may be teaching us patience, increasing our faith, giving us wisdom, or helping us see a better path forward. Sometimes delays protect us. Sometimes they prepare us. Always, they remind us that God is God, and we are not.
The promise of Isaiah 40 is not that waiting will always be easy, but that God will give strength to those who wait on Him. He renews the weary heart. He gives endurance for the race. He supplies grace for the next step.
