Waiting as Power

But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV)

I was recently reading an article on the Propel Women site that said “Waiting is not an assignment relegated to the neglected and rejected. Rather, as the Bible can attest, waiting has always been for the chosen ones, the ones called to do things that only God can do.” I was moved by this statement, because most often the act of waiting is categorized by a sense of passivity, unproductivity, and weakness. Waiting in its very essence is intangible and unseen, yet holds great power in our internal worlds and spiritual lives. The act of waiting on anything sometimes feels strenuous and painful depending on what we are waiting for. Depending on how we wait and how we posture ourselves in the process, it has the power to propel us forward or deter us.

In Isaiah 40:31 it says,

“But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.”

In the Scriptures, the act of waiting on God was a means to receive God’s strength—it was not a process to inflict fear, pain, or a mentality of lack. In the Scriptures, those who waited on God encountered some of the biggest miracles. In my own life, the times in which I postured myself to receive God’s strength as I waited for breakthrough have propelled me forward into the things of God. The more trained we are to wait and the more we build trust with God, the more we see of him, and the more we realize the wait reveals his utmost strength. Waiting reveals faith; no matter how much or little we feel we have, faith is born in these times.

For those who feel weary today, I challenge you to reposition yourselves. Waiting is not your enemy, as much as it sometimes feels that way. You are not waiting on humans, or waiting on your circumstances—you are waiting on the living God. May the act of waiting be your greatest spiritual weapon, and one you can trust as you seek God’s will. His ways are higher than ours, and he is never late in his plans to be faithful to you.

Something to Think About:

What is an area of your life where you feel like you are waiting on God? How can you reframe and reposition yourself to receive God’s strength?

What is your relationship like to waiting? Has it typically felt like your enemy or your friend?

Something to Do:

Journal about your responses to the questions above.

Prayer:

Sweet God, thank you for the gift of waiting. I pray that you strengthen my heart, soul, and mind to receive your strength in this season of my life. Help me reframe my thoughts about my season of waiting so that I would feel empowered by your spirit to do all of the things you have asked me to do. Holy Spirit, refresh my soul. Amen.

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Endless Strength