Lessons on Waiting

Isaiah 40:31 NIV
"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

The KJV uses the word "wait" instead of "hope." As long as there is hope people are able to wait. But the longer we have to wait the weaker our hope becomes. The Bible is filled with examples of people waiting (hoping) in the Lord. David waited more than a dozen years before he was actually anointed king at the age of thirty. Sarah waited twenty-five years before the promise of a child was fulfilled and she was holding Isaac in her arms. Joseph waited over twenty years before he saw his brothers again. Moses waited forty years before hearing God's voice call him to lead his people out of slavery. Esther waited almost twenty-five years before she was able to stand and intercede for her people. Paul waited more than ten years before we knew his ministry to the first century church. I don't know about you, but I find it difficult to wait in this fast pace society that we live in.

There are three promises given to us in this one verse if we wait. Well, actually four.

Promise One: If we wait, we will renew our strength! How? In the following ways . . .

Promise Two: "soar on wings like eagles." Waiting implies a new perspective. The eagle, I have been told, is the only bird that will fly into a storm. Other birds will seek to fly around a storm or quietly sit out a storm in a protected manner. However, the eagle, will stretch outs it powerful wings and allow the power of the wind of a storm to lift it higher and higher until it is above the storm. I like that thought. It is from new heights that we have a new perspective on life. God gives you a new perspective when waiting or hoping in the Lord.

Promise Three: "run and not grow weary." Waiting implies new endurance. I have always enjoyed long distance running. I once ran in a marthon. Distant runners when running look forward to a euphoric moment that is called, "a second wind." It is a feeling of refreshment that comes over you. It is a feeling of floating or renewed vigor. You don't want this moment to occur too soon in a race. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). God gives endurance to those who will wait or hope in the Lord.

Promise Four: "walk and not be faint." Waiting implies patience. Walking implies the thought of patience, not hurrying. We must learn to pace our self. The object is to finish the race. I started out too quickly in my marathon and as a result ended up dropping out after twenty-two miles. I came so close to finishing, but had nothing left in me because I had not learned the pace that was right for me. I was tryining to run at everyone else's pace. Don't we do that in life? We expect others to be where we are. Or be at a different level of maturity. We become frustrated, upset, and impatient with people. God gives patience to those willing to wait or hope in the Lord.