Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to just “plug in” for an instant renewal of strength?  We all have those days when it is a real struggle to just walk.  That is when we get discouraged.  There is no need to even attempt running at the speed necessary to get everything accomplished!   So what do you do? 

We seem to have forgotten that renewal comes from the Lord…

“Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
    and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
    and young men shall fall exhausted;
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.

41 Listen to me in silence, O coastlands;
    let the peoples renew their strength;
let them approach, then let them speak;
    let us together draw near for judgment.” (Isaiah 40:28-41.1, ESV)

Regarding these verses, Terry Briley has written, “What God offers the discouraged above all is strength. He has never promised a way that is easy, but he assures his people that he will never place them in a position without providing them sufficient resources to endure.” (Isaiah. The College Press NIV Commentary)  Yes, we all have those moments of weakness.  That reality is expressed in verse 30 – “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted.”  That is when we need to remember that God is there ready to give us renewed strength.’

Maybe the word “wait” has caused you difficulty!  Your despair has grown because you did not know that it does not suggest that we sit around and do nothing.  Realize that the word means “to hope,” to look to God for all that we need, as expressed in Isaiah 26:3 and 30:15.  We meditate on His character – that He is the everlasting God and creator.

Sometimes we mistakenly think that God is too big to care.  The truth, however, is that He is too great to fail.  He doesn’t grow faint or weary as we are so prone to do.  Rather, He is ready for us to plug in and renew our strength.  Quoting Terry Briley once again, “Those who cling to God in faith, therefore, remembering his faithfulness, can exchange their limited strength for the limitless resources of God.”

There might be times when we will soar like eagles.  However, my experience is that there are more times that I am just trudging along.  I am not even able to run!  So as I am struggling to place one foot in front of the other I know that, I need to wait.  The promise is that God will be there with me to keep me from fainting and increase my strength.