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
Waiting on the Lord isn’t passive sitting around doing nothing. It’s active expectation, trusting God while He works. And when you wait on Him, something powerful happens—your strength gets renewed. Not just restored to what it was, but renewed, made fresh and strong again.
What This Teaches Us
This verse reveals a progression of supernatural strength: Those who wait on the Lord will mount up with wings like eagles—soaring above circumstances that would ground others. They will run and not be weary—maintaining energy when others collapse. They will walk and not faint—persevering in the long journey when others give up.
Notice the order: soar, run, walk. It’s not just about spectacular moments of soaring. It’s also about the steady running and the faithful walking. God renews your strength for all three—the highs, the active seasons, and the long endurance.
Eagles are significant. They can soar to incredible heights, riding wind currents effortlessly. They don’t flap frantically; they spread their wings and let the wind carry them. That’s what waiting on the Lord does—it positions you to catch the wind of God’s Spirit and rise above your circumstances without exhausting yourself through frantic effort.
The key is waiting on the LORD. Not waiting for circumstances to change. Not waiting until you feel ready. Waiting on the Lord—looking to Him, depending on Him, trusting Him, expecting Him to act.
How to Apply This in Daily Life
When you’re exhausted and depleted, wait on the Lord. Don’t just try to power through in your own strength. Stop, turn to God, and let Him renew your strength. This isn’t laziness—it’s wisdom. You’re positioning yourself to receive supernatural power.
Expect to soar, run, and walk. God’s renewed strength isn’t just for spectacular moments. It’s for soaring above problems, running through challenges, and walking faithfully through long seasons. Trust that God will give you the specific strength you need for whatever you’re facing.
Learn to ride the wind instead of flapping frantically. Like eagles that spread their wings and let wind currents carry them, learn to spread your faith and let God’s Spirit carry you. Stop exhausting yourself through frantic effort and start trusting God’s power to lift you.
Remember that waiting is active, not passive. Waiting on the Lord means looking to Him, praying to Him, reading His Word, trusting His promises, and expecting Him to work. It’s not sitting around doing nothing—it’s actively directing your hope and trust toward God.
Trust the renewal process. When you wait on the Lord, strength comes. Not instantly, not always dramatically, but it comes. Your strength will be renewed. You will mount up. You will run. You will walk. God promises it.
Reflection Questions
- Are you trying to soar, run, and walk in your own depleted strength, or are you waiting on the Lord to renew your strength?
- What does “waiting on the Lord” look like practically for you today?
- Do you need strength to soar above circumstances, run through challenges, or walk faithfully through a long season?
- Have you been flapping frantically instead of spreading your wings to catch the wind of God’s Spirit?
Prayer For Guidance and Strength
Lord, I need renewed strength. I’m exhausted, depleted, and running on empty. I can’t soar, run, or even walk in my own strength anymore. So I wait on You—not passively, but actively looking to You, trusting You, expecting You to work.
Renew my strength as only You can. Not just restore it to what it was, but renew it, make it fresh and strong again. I need strength to soar above my circumstances like an eagle. I need strength to run through challenges without growing weary. I need strength to walk faithfully through this long season without fainting.
Teach me to ride the wind of Your Spirit instead of flapping frantically in my own effort. Help me to spread my wings of faith and let You carry me. Position me to catch Your wind and rise above what would otherwise ground me.
I wait on You, Lord. I look to You. I trust Your promise that those who wait on You will renew their strength. Let me mount up with wings like eagles. Let me run and not be weary. Let me walk and not faint. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
