Written by Nicole Hammond
We all have to wait in life—in lines, in traffic, the doctor’s office, for your kids, and even God! The days we live in are so fast paced that waiting seems like a punishment. It’s even worse when you are in the battle of your life.
Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.”
The word ‘wait’ means to wait in the sense of expecting. The Hebrew word for wait in this passage is qavah; meaning “To bind together” (perhaps by twisting) and “to be strong, robust.” Those who wait will have their hearts bound to the Lord, connecting intimately to Him.
When you go to the gym for ‘weight’ training, you do certain exercises, and you expect a certain result. Likewise, there are exercises in ‘wait’ training and results that you can expect, and they are as follows:
- PAUSE “They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength”
Psalm 37:7 says, “Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him.”
When I pause and lean into my sofa, I expect it to hold me without a second thought, because it was designed to hold me. Isn’t our Creator, the one who designed all living things, more than capable of holding us?
When you pause, you can expect renewed inward strength, because you receive power by dwelling in God’s presence.
- PRAY “They shall mount up with wings like eagles”
Communicating with God lifts us up, and we can learn His perspective. Eagles are masters of wind currents and rise effortlessly. Discerning the wind currents, they depend on a source other than themselves. The eagle is said to be the only bird that can look directly into the sun. As you spend time in prayer with the Son interceding for you, you’ll be able to discern the wind of His Spirit.
Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 30:21 says, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”
When you pray, you can expect upward strength, because you will be able to rise above any circumstance.
- PONDER “They shall run and not be weary”
Psalm 103:2 says, “Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me.”
Remembering the faithfulness of God encourages us to keep moving forward. The result you can expect from this exercise is outward strength, because no matter what battle you face, it belongs to God.
- PRAISE “They shall walk and not faint”
Psalm 18:3 says, “I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and He saved me from my enemies.”
Your praise is a weapon and the voice of faith. When you believe God has heard your prayers, you’ll praise Him for the answer, even before you see it.
The result you can expect from giving praise is onward strength, because praise silences your enemies and you can keep moving forward in your faith walk.
2 Chronicles 20 shows us a great example of these exercises and their results. Syrian armies had come against Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, paused, prayed, and fasted. He pondered the things that God had done, and then the Spirit of God told him to take their position and see the deliverance the Lord was going to bring them. They fell down in worship. Before the battle began, Jehoshaphat praised God! This teaches us that there is nothing more important than praise and worship when battling problems. The person who kneels before God in praise and worship can stand before any obstacle they face.
The opposing armies began to fight amongst themselves. They were so confused, they didn’t know what was happening. Praise is a powerful weapon that confuses your enemy!
When you think about it, ‘wait’ could possibly be one of the best answers God gives us. Waiting causes us to hope in Him and cling to Him, rather than an outcome. God knows what we need. He sees the future and His perspective is eternal. Someone once said, “Waiting is not just about what I get at the end of the wait, but about whom I become as I wait.”
Don’t let your condition change your position. How we position ourselves while we wait is important. Stay connected with God, and remember to pause, pray, ponder and praise. His name is I AM, not I WAS. If He did it before, He’ll do it again.
