When We Are Waiting

How many times has it happened to you that you plugged in your phone at night but in the morning, it had not charged at all? Or the worst-case scenario: the battery has died and the screen is black.

When I think about time passing, I often think of energy being consumed. The batteries in our electronics are going down throughout the day. As my day goes on, I know I will feel more tired later — unless I “recharge” from a cup of coffee or a nap.

So, that’s why it struck me in a new way when I recently listened to a worship song that referenced Isaiah 40: “Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord.”

It was like I was hearing the Scripture afresh:

“Even youths will faint and be weary,

and the young will fall exhausted,

but those 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 40:30-31

I will admit that there are times, even when I’m waiting on the Lord, I feel like my strength is waning, not rising. Instead, maybe it’s my blood pressure that’s rising because I’m feeling more anxious. So, what does Isaiah mean?

Many times when we are waiting, we wait for God to answer our prayers and meet our needs. So, when we wait, are the eyes of our hearts and minds fixed on the solution we are waiting for God to provide?

Or … are the eyes of our hearts fixed on the One who will be doing the providing? If you read all of Isaiah 40, he is pointing to who God is. Remembering who God is makes the difference!

If I act like Peter and just stare at the storm, my feet will start sinking just like his did (Matthew 14:30). Instead, we keep our eyes fixed on God Himself and that’s how, as Isaiah says, we will rise on wings like eagles.

The most straightforward way to do this is to read some Scripture daily and bring our petitions before God in prayer, like the persistent widow (Luke 18). Look up some promises about God’s goodness that encourage you and write them on sticky notes in places where you will see them daily.

Breath prayer is another simple way to connect the calm in our body and our soul. The Psalter and the prayers from our prayer book can be an excellent resource for this. The prayers below are from Morning Prayer in The Book of Common Prayer:

(Inhale) Lord, show us your love and mercy;

(Exhale) For we put our trust in you.

Or

(Inhale) In you, Lord, is our hope;

(Exhale) And we shall never hope in vain.

I pray that your strength rises as you wait upon our Lord today.