Isaiah 40:31

NASB	NLT	VOICE
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.	31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.	31 But those who trust in the Eternal One will regain their strength. They will soar on wings as eagles. They will run – never winded, never weary. They will walk – never tired, never faint.

Ways of Renewal

To wait/trust in God means to have an active hope and expectation. The Israelites were called to trust in God’s timing to be delivered during the Babylonian exile. Those who wait for God’s timing will find their strength renewed, which is a massive gift for those that feel weary and burdened. Historically, Israel was physically and spiritually wiped out because of the exile. The renewal of strength was not just physical, but also spiritual – showing this as a time of restored hope and vigor. This renewal is a divine gift that transforms us through God’s presence.

Eagles were known for their strength and their flight capabilities, showing freedom and perspective. Eagles were an ancient Near East symbol of power and might, which shows that God will help them rise above their circumstances with divine assistance.

To run and not tire shows endurance and perseverance. Running, back then, was connected to messengers and warriors who needed the energy to complete their tasks. God will be able to provide strength to endure life’s challenges.

To walk without fainting shows that you need stead progress and continual faithfulness. Walking was the primary mode of transportation back then and it required that type of endurance to cover long distances.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Which feels more like your need for renewing strength: to fly and be free, to run and not tire, or to walk and not faint.

So there are three verses that cover the different ways of renewing strength – connecting to the same process of waiting and trusting in that renewal.

The imagery of the eagle comes in from Exodus 19:4, which says:

4             ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.

God is there to protect us and deliver us out of any enemy that has us entrapped. God’s deliverance allows us to step back and see our problem from a bigger perspective. To be able to in essence, step outside of our reality and into God’s presence. God can take our problems, offer us a place of reflection and respite to recover from the stressors that have happened to us, and then gift us the plan forward for us to work towards the path that God has set for us. It may not be easy to manage in the moment, but God gifts us the strength and tenacity need to overcome everything and anything in our way.

If you’re a runner, you may enjoy the words of Hebrews 12:1-2

1             Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

2             We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne

When we’re running our race, it’s very easy to get caught up in the stories of others. To hear their struggles, and their battles, and to see how their story ended – we can start to compare our stories. We look at what we’re doing and where we are at, but we wish we were someone else. The race we run is our race – one designed for us, crafted for us, and made for us to succeed in. We need to keep our eyes focused on Christ, leaning into His strength, molding us to be more like Him each day we navigate through life.

To walk and never faint connects to the words found in Galatians 6:9

9             So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

No matter what’s going on around you, always seek to do good. It’s hard. It’s exhaustive to do what is good when everything in the world around us is bad and terrible. It’s easy to be sucked into the hardships of the world. Panic, anxiety, fear, and frustration can overwhelm our minds and cause us to reflect that into the world. The fact of trying to continue to do good is to remember that there will be goals of seeing that goodness helping others in your world. You may never see the results of your good deeds, but that is not the goal. Our goal should be to always help others. Our heavenly Creator will give us our proper response to our helpfulness and resourcefulness for those in need. We will follow his command to love Him, our neighbors, and the world and to use our tools and resources to effectively do that.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: Whether you need to mount, to run, or to walk – which verse will help you in your current season?

PRAY Action

Praise God for His strength to lift us up when we are weak, His energy to keep us going when we are exhausted, and His promises that keep our hope up for a better future.

Read 2 Corinthians 4:16

Ask God for the patience to wait for His command. Often, we want to jump ahead and act on something before we are truly ready. When we wait, we know that God’s timing is perfect and He will give us everything we need to make it work for His goodness.

You are completely valid to be so fatigued with how our world is. You are completely valid to be tired of trying to do what is right when everything is going wrong. Rest. Recover. Reignite your strength into sharing God’s goodness into the world.