"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 40:31 (KJV)

 

There are popular bible verses that have become known to us through reading the Word of God for ourselves or by hearing the Word of God preached to us. These verses may have even become known to us by reading a daily devotional or a social media post that contained the particular verse. Or maybe it simply could have been shared with us by a friend, acquaintance, or even a stranger. We often search our bible for verses that we can use to encourage or inspire us. But how often do we really take the time to dissect these familiar verses? This week let's explore Isaiah 40:31.

 

There are some of us who are so exhausted from all that we overcame last year, that although this is supposed to be a Happy New Year, we are starting off the year feeling frustrations like the Incredible Hulk that are partnered with a fight with no strength to pinch ourselves, better yet, throw a punch. Some of us are in need of renewal quick, fast, and in a hurry because if this is the year of "A New Sound", then our Spiritual Cardio Routine needs to take root. In our blog post, "EXERCISE", we spoke about developing a Spiritual Cardio Routine. We discussed the need for us to 'RUN' with perseverance as running is one of the most well-known forms of cardio exercise. We stated that, "Spiritual Running is a cardio exercise in itself as it requires a repeated step of sequences of the large muscle groups."

 

We stated that it requires a repeated sequence of:

• Praying

• Fasting

• Praising

• Worship

• Reading the Word

• Relationship with God

• Believing

• Trust

• Faith

 

These "muscle groups" listed above are indeed imperative to our spiritual cardio workout. However, there is another component that we must add to the list. It is one that we have expounded on in numerous blogs, and that very important and much needed component is the act of "WAITING". Part of the reason that we are out of whack and feel all sorts of tired is because we are exhausting ourselves by trying to help God do what He does not need our help to do. We are exhausted because we are trying to make things happen based on our own knowledge, our own strength, our own timing, and according to our own will. Because we think that we can get things done faster than God, we step out of His will to handle things our way only to turn upside down what God was trying to place right side up.

 

When we interfere with God's plan for us, we lengthen the wait just as the Israelites lengthened their journey. We talk about how stiff-necked they were which is indeed true, God even said so Himself. However, our mentalities are at times no different than these same Israelites that we love to judge. God tells us what He is going to do for us, but all we can think about is the short-term and what we need 'right now'. Therefore, we moan, groan, complain, and tamper with people, places, and things that we are not supposed to tamper with, thinking that it is going to get us what we want when we want it, only to find that it took us further away from what we were so close to reaching. "Oh the Woes of Our Impatient Selves".

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God knows our flaws and thankfully, He does not hold them against us. Our God is so patient with us yet, we are so quick to become annoyed with Him when we feel like He is not rushing to our rescue. The truth is that just because we are falling apart screaming, "HELP", does not mean that God is supposed to panic with us. Especially when He doesn't see the fire, the pit, the lion or whatever other emergency that we see, because all He sees is VICTORY. God is fully aware that while we are panicking screaming, "EMERGENCY!" our truth is that "WE DON"T WANT TO WAIT!" And because God already knows this, He'll comfort us in His own way and let us keep flagging for 'HELP' until we decide to calm ourselves, stop the dramatics, and simply TRUST HIM! Sometimes it is not until after we throw the tantrum that we then realize it was not needed nor was it useful. Have you learned nothing from Cousin Jonah?

 

 

Renew

 

When we 'wait' on God, our strength is renewed because all of that energy that we exert trying to do it our way is instead put into giving it to God letting Him do it His way. When we wait on God, we can with the upmost confidence focus on those cardio sequences of praying, fasting, worship, and all the others that we mentioned above. And our ability to focus on those sequences takes the focus off of what we are facing and places our focus on God, helping us to simply trust Him to do what we know He can do.

 

Waiting on God places our hope and assurance in Him because we realize and accept that we don't have the power or knowledge to do what He can do. We try to fix things according to what we see while God fixes things according to what He knows. When we wholeheartedly wait on God and place our full trust in Him, He provides us with His Strength.

 

Psalm 46:1 reminds us that, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" (NIV). We are but human and are not capable of having the human strength to fight every battle, but we most definitely have the ASSURANCE OF A GREAT, POWERFUL, AND MIGHTY GOD who can. And not only does He have the strength to fight every battle, but He also promises to be our STRENGTH. The writer of the 46th Psalm understood that no matter what he faced, God was capable of shielding, protecting, and providing him the strength to face whatever trouble presented itself. Therefore, he was able to put his complete trust in God knowing that God would do just that, BE GOD!

 

We do not have to tire ourselves out trying to win battles that God already told us He will fight for us. We don't have to tire ourselves out worrying about how we will make ends meet when God has already promised to be our provider. We don't have to tire ourselves out fearing what our enemies are trying to do to us because God has already promised to prepare a table for us in their presence. We don't have to tire ourselves out worrying about the diagnosis because we already have the promise that by his stripes we are healed.

 

Our ability to wait on God, saves us from the unnecessary weight that we inflict upon ourselves. Now does that mean that we won't have weight, pressure, or burdens? No, it doesn't because Jesus already told us that in this world we would have trouble. Jesus knew that we would have things that weighed us down and put burdens upon us which is why in Matthew 11:28, he instructed us saying, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (NIV).

 

God never intended for us to navigate life on our own. God never intended for us to try to figure everything out for ourselves. God never intended for us to try to be the reason that we obtain all that we have. It is for this reason that He sent His Son. Jesus emphasized that we could find rest in him. Jesus emphasized that we could rely on him to do all that we can't do. However, until we learn to wait on God, we will never be able to experience this rest nor will we be able to renew our strength because all of our efforts physically, mentally, and emotionally, will go into trying to make happen what we want to happen causing us to become spiritually vexed, thinking that God is not helping us. Well, if we want God's help, we simply have to move out of God's way.

 

If you call a first responder, regardless of their occupation, profession, or what type of situation or emergency it is, one of the first things that they are going to tell you to do once you explain what happened is to, "PLEASE STEP BACK", and let them do what they do. At times they may not even want all the details, they just want to save what needs saving, rescue what needs to be rescued, or fix what needs to be fixed. God requires the same. And He does not need the details at all because HE ALREADY KNOWS. Therefore, all He needs from us is to simply STEP BACK, STEP ASIDE, MOVE OUT THE WAY, and LET HIM DO WHAT HE DOES! We can't cry out to God asking Him to 'put out the fire' and then tell Him what type of hose to use, how far to extend the hose, what the temperature of the water should be, and how much pressure He should apply to put the water out. Meanwhile, we are standing in the middle of our catastrophe with a can of gasoline and a book of matches. (Wonder who started this one?)

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Wings as Eagles

 

When we are able to allow ourselves to wait on God in the way that He requires, not only does it renew our strength, but it allows us to soar above all those things and circumstances that try to weigh us down. It allows us not to become buried in but to mount above the guilt, shame, sorrow, fear, uncertainty, doubt, discouragement, worry, disappointment, pain, or whatever other emotion or feeling we are experiencing as a result of what we are enduring or have endured. Instead of allowing our trials to overtake us, we learn how to use them, therefore allowing them to work for our good just as God's Word tells us in Romans 8:28.

 

Our ability to wait on God renews us in a way that gives us the strength to reach heights beyond what we are humanly capable of reaching because God has us in His hands lifting us above those very obstacles that tried to hinder our ability to move. We will be able to mount up with wings as eagles because when we are able to wait on God and put our trust in Him, He not only is with us but as Psalm 91:4 tells us, "He will cover [us] with his feathers, and under his wings [we] will find refuge; his faithfulness will be [our] shield and rampart" (NIV). And because God promises to be our shield and rampart, that means that not only is He protecting us, but He is fighting for us which allows us to rest in Him. It allows us to unclench our fists because we realize that God's blow to our enemies is more powerful than ours will ever be.

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Running Tirelessly

 

When we wait on God and we place our full trust in Him, we can run and not be weary.

 

Weary is defined as:

• lacking strength, energy, or freshness because of a need for rest or sleep

• physically or mentally exhausted by hard work, exertion, strain

• exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor, or freshness

• very tired or lacking energy and enthusiasm

 

If we look at weary in context of the definitions above, because waiting on God renews our strength which causes us to be able to soar above our obstacles, we are not lacking strength due to our need of rest or sleep because we are not tossing and turning and staying up at night worrying about what we can't control. Instead, we are placing our dependency and hope in God. We are not aimlessly exasperating ourselves, fighting against ourselves, tiring ourselves out physically and mentally trying to use what we know, think, feel, or perceive as a means of solving our issues our way or confronting our trials in a manner that we deem best. We are instead trusting God who has allowed us to face these trials to guide us through them. When we are able to fully wait on God and place our trust in Him, we are not lacking in enthusiasm because we are in expectancy of what we know He can and will do for us.

 

When we wait on God, we are able to run tirelessly, because when we put our spiritual cardio to work, as we are praying, fasting, praising, worshipping, reading our Word, and holding on to our believe, trust, and faith in God, it strengthens our bond with God. As we partake in these points of connection with God, our spirit can overcome all the emotions that our flesh is experiencing allowing us to keep pushing and not waver because we are finding joy, peace, and purpose amidst what we are facing. We are able to run without becoming weary because as God sees us holding on to Him, He won't let go of us. Therefore, WE INCREASE OUR ENDURANCE.

 

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Faint Not!

 

No matter who we are, who or what we believe in, or how much we love God, we are all at times going to have a moment when something comes at us in a way that makes us feel like "LIFE IS HARD!". There are things that we are going to experience that make us want to throw in the towel and climb under a rock. There are things that might come at us that are going to stop us 'dead in our tracks' and make us want to give up because we feel like there is no way out or over what we have found ourselves in.

 

However, if we WAIT ON GOD, we will be able to give it all to Him and HOLD ON with all our might! If we make a choice to wait on God and do it through Him and not through ourselves, these feelings that perplex us will not stress us and deter us and cause us to become faint. One definition of faint is "something that has no courage or vigor". When we are able to wholeheartedly wait on God, no matter what presents itself to us, we can face it with courage and without fear of what will become of us because we know and understand who God is and what He can do.

 

We can boldly walk the path that God has designed for us while persevering through the attacks that are aimed at us when we allow God to be our stronghold. James 5:11 reads, "As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy" (NIV). A few weeks ago, in Part One of our "The Transformation of Thanks" blog post, we discussed the story of Job. We know that Job's spirit was vexed. We know that Job was physically and mentally tired. We know that Job was anguished. However, Job did not faint. He did not give up on God nor turn his back on God. If anything, the more pain he felt, the more confused he got, the more he felt like God was not there, THE MORE HE HELD ON!

 

The reason that Job was able to keep holding on to God and keep trusting God is because although he did not understand why God was not responding, HE WAS WAITING ON GOD TO ANSWER! Job had reached a point that if he had to, he would defend himself before God. This is how confident he was in the fact that God was who he knew God to be and that God would agree that it was not Job who brought his trials upon himself but that it was God's doing. Because of Job's trust in God, he was willing to wait, and though his circumstance may have been weighing him down, his determination to wait for God to answer, helped him to persevere and 'WAIT IT OUT'.

 

Let's make something clear. Isaiah 40:31 stating that we will renew our strength, mount up with wings like eagles, run and not get weary, walk and not get faint does not mean that we WON'T feel burdened. It does not mean that we WON'T be weary. It does not mean that we WON'T grow faint. It does not mean that we WON'T tire, because WE WILL. But what it means is that as 'WE' face these things, if we place 'OUR' faith and trust in GOD, and wait on 'HIM' then as long as we are resting in Him, then and only then will we experience this renewal of strength and be given the ability to overcome weariness and overcome being faint. Only through 'HIM' will we be able to experience the ability to run relentlessly and walk tirelessly.

 

We are HUMAN and if it was impossible for us to lose our strength, if it was impossible for us to become weary or faint without needing God, then there would be no need for God which will speak against God being UNMATCHED. It will speak against God being higher and mightier in power than us all. If we could through our own selves have unfailing strength and carry our own burdens without help, that would have made God's gift of Jesus unnecessary, and we know that JESUS IS INDEED NECESSARY! WITHOUT GOD AND JESUS there simply will be no US!

 

It is important that as we learn these popular verses that are the Word of God and as they are preached to us or shared with us, that we take the time to find these verses for ourselves and read the verses that come before and after them or read the full chapters where these verses are found, in order to gain more clarity as to what we are reading and to gain insight into the context of what we are reading. In Isaiah 40, if we move from verse 31 and go a few verses up to verses 28-29, we read in part, "The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength" (NKJV).

 

It is God who has relentless strength and is not capable of becoming faint or weary. NOT US! But through HIM AND HIM ALONE HE GIVES US THE ABILITY TO DO SO! God provides us with His power and strength. If we only read verse 31, we can easily get stuck believing that we are not supposed to get tired or weary because the bible says that "we will run and not get weary, walk and not faint". NO, the bible says, "IF" we wait on God. WE NEED GOD IN ORDER TO DO THIS! This is not based on our own strength and ability. The verses prior to verse 31 state that He gives power to the weak meaning that at some point, WE ARE GOING TO GET WEAK. It states that for those who have no might, He increases strength meaning that at some point, WE ARE GOING TO LOSE OUR STRENGTH! However, if we wait for Him to work it out, if we wait on Him to answer our call, if we wait on Him to fight our battle, if we wait on Him to provide, if we wait on Him to guide us, THEN we will RENEW OR STRENGTH. THEN we can MOUNT UP with wings like eagles. THEN we can run and not get weary. THEN we can walk and not faint. Not if we do it our way. Not if we respond how we want to respond. Not if we attack our enemies how we want to attack them. Not if we try to get it for ourselves without Him. Not if we walk the path that we think is best without His approval.

 

When we reflect on these scriptures without understanding their meaning it is easy to misinterpret them. If we don't understand the foundation of this scripture, we will quickly and easily interpret it to mean that we won't get tired, weary or grow faint. We will put pressure on ourselves and think that we are 'bad Christians' or that God is not true to His Word because we are finding ourselves exhausted or out of energy. It is not that you are a bad Christian and it is not that God is not true to His Word, it is that God never said that you are supposed to do this on your own. God never said nor did He promise that you would be invincible. God never said that it is your job to carry all the weight by yourself without any dependency or help from Him. God said THOSE THAT WAIT ON HIM!

 

Job's entire life was under attack. He lost everything. His body was attacked. His heart was heavy. He was sorrowful. He was anguished. His spirit was vexed. BUT BECAUSE OF GOD and because Job waited on God and trusted in God, not only was Job renewed spiritually but God renewed all his worldly possessions. Job soared above what he endured. He ended up with more than he started out with. He gained more than what was taken away.

 

Was Job an upright man. Yes! GOD SAID HE WAS! Yet even still, it was his faith and trust in God and his ability to 'WAIT' that caused God to act on his behalf. God had mercy and compassion on Job. God did not allow Job to endure this pain without it having a purpose attached to it. In the midst of God "ALLOWING" Job to experience all that he did, God's hands NEVER LEFT HIM even when he thought that God was not there. God knew that Job would not leave Him therefore, God did not leave Job. IT WAS NO SURPRISE TO GOD that Job retained his trust in Him. It was for this very reason that God "ALLOWED" the devil to test Job. Job had a RELENTLESS TRUST IN GOD AND GOD HAD A RELENTLESS BLESSING FOR JOB! If you want what God has for you, YOU MUST WAIT FOR IT!

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After You've Endured

 

If we read the New International Version (NIV) of James 5:11, it reads in part:

 "we count as blessed those WHO HAVE PERSERVERED."

 

The King James Version (KJV) reads in part:

"Behold, we count them happy WHICH ENDURE."

 

The English Standard Version (ESV) reads in part:

"Behold, we consider those blessed who REMAINED STEADFAST."

 

Let's examine this: HAVE PERSERVERED, WHICH ENDURE, REMAINED STEADFAST…In other words, those that have GONE THROUGH AND NOT WAVERED. It did not say as you are persevering, as you are enduring, or as you are being steadfast, but it states AFTER! After you HAVE PERSERVERED, After you ENDURE, After you have REMAINED STEADFAST.

 

Anybody can give up in the middle of or while they are persevering, enduring, and being steadfast. The reward comes to those that CAN MAKE IT THROUGH which is why God strengthens us during the process because HE WANTS US TO WIN! IT IS HIS INTENT TO BLESS US for holding on to Him! God has a purpose and a plan for EVERYTHING THAT WE FACE and does not take it lightly when we TRUST HIM!

 

Hebrews 12:2-3 reads, "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him WHO ENDURED such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (NIV). If God had to allow His Son to endure before he received his reward, then why would it be any different for us? Jesus is NO STRANGER to Isaiah 40:31. If we were to reflect on the verse above found in Hebrews 12, it expounds on Jesus' ability to endure the cross "for the joy set before him".

 

Jesus did not just look at the cross for what it was, but he looked at it for the joy that it would bring. He looked at it with reverence and understanding of the purpose it would serve. He understood what would come as a result of what he had to endure. Jesus was able to mount up as an eagle because he understood his pain had purpose. He was able to retain his strength and not grow weary or faint due to his ability to place his full faith, trust, and belief in God. Jesus was the Son of God, yet he still did not know the exact details of every single thing that he would face. Although Jesus knew his purpose and he knew why God sent him and although God operated through him and although he had God's authority, JESUS HIMSELF STILL HAD TO WAIT ON GOD! Jesus had authority yet still had to endure the cross according to God's timing for him. Even with his authority he still could not place himself on the cross based on his own will, but it was by his Father's will.

 

If we read John 5:19-20, we read in part:

 

            the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does              the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater                  works than these, so that you will be amazed (NIV).

 

If we explore John 10:27-30 states:

 

            My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no                one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch                    them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one (NIV).

 

Jesus understood his authority, but he also understood that the authority that he had was given to him by the Father therefore, he did not do things out of his own will but based on the will of God for him. Although the Son of God, Jesus had to endure, and because he endured, he inherited his throne. This is why Hebrews 12 encourages us to look to Jesus and place our focus on him, "considering him" and what he endured and how he overcame as an example so that we can prevent ourselves from becoming weary or losing heart by knowing that because Jesus did what he did, whatever we have to face in our own lives can be done. Just as Jesus endured, so can we as it concerns the trials and tests that God sees fit for us to endure.

 

So, if we want to renew the strength and endurance that we may have lost in 2025, we have to discipline ourselves to 'WAIT ON GOD'. While we can't stop the trials of life from coming, we can choose how we approach them. If we want to persevere, we must accept the fact that we can't do it without God. We must accept the fact that we can't interfere when God comes to our rescue. We must accept the fact that we can't choose our obstacles even when we may make a choice that causes them to occur. We must accept the fact that even when we do everything that God requires of us, trouble will still greet us. WE ARE NOT EXEMPT! Most importantly, we must accept the fact that at some point during this year as it concerns whatever it is that we will have to face, there is most definitely something that is going to require 'A WAIT'. Therefore, NOW IS THE TIME to put your Spiritual Cardio Plan into ACTION.

 

Daniel did not wait until he was in the lion's den to develop his prayer life. It was already his habit, and it was this habit that he immediately exercised when he was greeted by that unexpected occurrence that threatened to destroy him. And because of his faithfulness and HIS ABILITY TO TRUST GOD, HE SURVIVED and so can you! Don't allow 2026 to DEVOUR YOU! STAND TALL! STAND FIRM! AND WORK YOUR RELIANCE ON GOD! ENDURE THE WAIT!