Key Verse
“but they who wait for 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, ESV)
Reflection
Isaiah 40:31 promises that people who put their hope in God will find fresh strength, soaring like eagles, running without tiring, and walking without collapsing. This devotional for waiting on God is for anyone waiting on a diagnosis, a prodigal, a job, or a breakthrough, and wondering how to keep hoping.
Isaiah wrote to people who knew long waiting. God’s people were facing exile, far from home, wondering whether God had forgotten them. Just before this verse, they complain, “My way is hidden from the LORD.” In response, God reminds them who he is: the everlasting Creator, who does not faint or grow weary, whose understanding is unsearchable.
“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength.” Biblical waiting is not passive. It is not sitting in a lobby flipping through magazines, hoping our name is called. The Hebrew word carries the idea of expectant hope, even of twisting strands together into a strong rope. To wait for the Lord is to bind ourselves to him, trusting that he is at work even when we cannot see it.
And here is the surprise: waiting renews strength. We often assume waiting drains us, and impatient waiting certainly does. But waiting on God, rooted in trust, becomes a source of new energy. It is like an exchange: we bring our weakness, and he gives his strength.
Isaiah then gives three images. “They shall mount up with wings like eagles.” Eagles do not flap frantically to stay aloft. They rise on currents of warm air, soaring with little effort. There are seasons when God lifts us above our circumstances and gives us a higher view.
“They shall run and not be weary.” Other seasons demand action and endurance. God provides strength for those demanding stretches, the busy years of parenting, the intense project, the crisis that requires everything we have.
“They shall walk and not faint.” This may be the most important image of all, because most of life is walking. Ordinary days. Steady faithfulness. Putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes the greatest miracle is not soaring but simply not giving up.
Notice the order: soaring, running, walking. It almost seems backward, as if it moves from greater to lesser. But anyone who has endured a long season knows that walking without fainting can require the deepest strength of all.
While you wait, keep doing what is in front of you. Keep praying. Keep worshiping. Keep loving the people around you. Waiting on the Lord does not put life on hold; it shapes how we live in the meantime. God is not wasting your waiting. He is growing patience, trust, and character that cannot be formed any other way.
Whatever you are waiting for today, bind yourself to the One who never grows weary. He will renew your strength.
Today, Try This
Name the thing you are waiting for most. Write Isaiah 40:31 next to it, and each time you feel impatient today, pray, “Lord, I wait for you. Renew my strength for this step.”
Reflection Question
Are you in a season of soaring, running, or walking, and what kind of strength do you most need from God right now?
Prayer
Everlasting God, you never grow tired or weary, and you understand what I cannot. As I wait, renew my strength. Lift me when I need to soar, sustain me when I need to run, and keep me walking faithfully without fainting. I trust your timing. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Keep Reading
- Explore more: hope in hard times
- Read today’s and past daily devotionals
- Go deeper: Bible verses about hope
- Start here: what the narrow gate means (Matthew 7:13-14)
Keep Reading
- Devotional for Grief: Psalm 34:18 Comfort
- Devotional for Hard Times: Romans 8:28 Meaning
- Devotional for Fear: Isaiah 41:10, Do Not Fear
- More Devotionals
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does Isaiah 40:31 mean?
Isaiah 40:31 means those who wait on the LORD receive renewed strength to keep going. The verse promises that people who wait for God will find their strength restored. Waiting is not passive; it is active trust in God's timing and power.
What does it mean to wait on the Lord?
Waiting on the Lord means trusting Him while His promises have not yet been fulfilled, praying, obeying, and hoping rather than forcing outcomes. The Hebrew word often carries the sense of eager, hopeful expectation, looking to God rather than our own timing. Waiting is an act of worship.
Why does God make us wait?
God may make us wait to build patience, deepen dependence, refine motives, or prepare circumstances we cannot see. Waiting is often where faith grows strongest. Scripture is full of waiters: Abraham, Joseph, David, and Simeon all waited years for God's promises.