New Strength for Those Who Wait

 January 26, 2024

Friday

Isaiah 40:31 (NASB 2020) 31 Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

It is hard to wait for the Lord when you believe you have waited beyond a reasonable time. You become like Saul who would offer the sacrifice before Samuel arrived because Samuel didn’t come when Saul thought he should. We pray for God to act and He assures us that He will. Then we wait what seems to be an intolerable amount of time. If we are not committed to waiting we will act on our own. This will wear us out because we will be acting in our own strength. If something is so important that we have prayed about it, our own strength will never suffice.

Waiting has an assurance. Like eagles we Will be stronger even as we age. We will receive new feathers by which we will fly even higher. We will be better than the youths who grow weary for we will run and not get tired. We will walk when walking is necessary and not get weary.

Many years ago, I was on the staff of a church when the pastor left. The rest of the staff was asked to preach in his absence with the exception of Sunday mornings. I was asked and did so because it was my duty. Up until that point I didn’t want to be a senior pastor. I didn’t want to preach every Sunday. In fact, I didn’t necessarily want to preach. I was content with teaching.

Something happened when I spoke to the congregation on a Wednesday night. I felt God nudge me to preach but I wanted to make sure. I prayed for God to tell me if that was what He wanted me to do. Maybe two weeks later, the Associate Pastor led the staff in a devotion. While he spoke I knew God was telling me to become a preacher. I committed myself to praying that some church would call me as pastor.

Eight years and three months later, a church did just that. I had prayed almost every day that God would act in the hearts of a pastor search committee to listen to Him and call me. There were many days that I didn’t believe it would happen. It was also humbling to see others on staffs called to be senior pastors while I continued being a staff member. However, I knew I should not try to get ahead of the Lord. Waiting was the best action I could take.

Waiting for the Lord may be the hardest thing we ever do. Waiting puts our complete dependence upon Him. It gives us strength that will suddenly leave us if we stop waiting and take action on our own.

I can attest that when I waited that I flew at first, then ran and finally walked. The euphoria of flying came as I heard God say that He was calling me to be as pastor. The continued praying after some time kept me running toward His calling. The determination came in the walking. It was when I walked that I got closest to Him. I believe it was because I was walking with Him.

So, I encourage everyone who must wait upon the Lord. (That is actually all of us, all of the time.) Wait for acting without Him leave you on your own. It will wear you out.