Isaiah 40:31 says, “They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings as eagles…” But often I’ve thought of “waiting” for something to happen or someone to show up, is like passive inaction, that drives us crazy, after awhile. Like waiting for a doctor’s appointment, waiting at a bus stop, or in an airport, or for a red light to turn green. Just sitting or standing there waiting for something good to happen or someone to show up, can feel frustrating, like you're not doing anything.
Some versions of Isaiah 40:31 say “they that hope in the Lord…” Both wordings "wait" and "hope" mean the same thing and are active verbs having cause and effect results. As next it says “…they shall renew their strength and mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not grow weary and shall walk and not faint.” Sounds like building muscle or strength. So why not treat “waiting on the Lord” like a weight room where you're doing something that builds strength and muscle.
Karen and I go to the gym 2 to 3 times a week. We run and work out with weights. Years ago my football and track coaches used to holler at us, “Close your mouth. Run on your toes and breath through your nose.” Because breathing through your nose naturally regulates the right amount of air intake. Breathing through your nose gets you into a good breathing rhythm, which helps you run farther and last longer. For years I’ve equated prayer to running. Prayer is the breathing of our soul that helps regulate our faith. It’s not that God needs to hear our prayers. He already knows what we want, need and are thinking before our thoughts become words. We need to hear our prayers, out loud, over and over again, because that’s what regulates our faith for the long haul of life’s situations and circumstances. I know there are scriptures that say don’t go “babbling on like the pagan do” but it’s ok for us to hear us praying out loud everyday how much we admire God, appreciate God, love God, need God, trust God, hope in God and have faith in God. Prayers like “Lord it might not have happened yesterday but it could happen today or tomorrow. Nothing is too difficult or impossible with you. You shall supply for all my needs according to your riches in Christ Jesus.” Not panicked prayers of faithless desperation but slow methodical prayers of faith, trust, hope and praise breathed out of your soul that regulates your faith while you're waiting on the Lord. These types of prayers come from working out with the weightiness of God’s Word (The Bible).
In the weight room you grapple with weights that are heavy, that push you, test you, resist you, challenge you, and if handled right, improve and strengthen you. But it only comes after repetitive time, effort, energy and sweat. I can’t think of anything weightier that will resist you, test you, push you and improve you than God’s Word; the Bible. It tests what you believe, resists what you think or feel, challenges your assumptions, expectations and conclusions, as it inspires and encourages you to greater faith, trust, certainty and hope. But it says the only way you get stronger is by lifting and working out with me. God’s word knocks the fat off of our faith, causing us to get stronger and rise up with wings as eagles, soaring higher, lasting longer and taking us farther in life, breaking barriers and overcoming obstacles, like a track star or a running back, breaking through the line, running for a touchdown!
Isaiah 40:31 is about getting stronger. The only way you do that is by treating God, life, prayer and The Bible, like a Weight Room. While you’re waiting upon the Lord, to renew your strength, meet with God in the “weight room” of prayer and The Bible.
Blessings