While We Wait

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:29-31

When you want to quit, be encouraged that you don’t have to keep going on your own strength. 

Remember this promise – God will renew your strength as you wait upon Him. You can lean on Him to help you keep running your race so you can finish your course.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the promise of Isaiah 40:29-31. Help us to wait on You and trust in Your unfailing love, so that we may renew our strength and soar like eagles. Give us the courage to run with endurance, walk with confidence, and overcome any challenges that we may face. In Jesus' name, amen 🙏.

Tired of Waiting?

Wait upon the Lord and your strength will be renewed (Isaiah 40:31).

What God does IN us while we wait, is as important as WHAT we are waiting for. AS WE WAIT, God is at work in us ... molding us ... shaping us ... maturing us ... strengthening us.

When we patiently and expectantly wait on God in the midst of horrible circumstances, suddenly God breaks through.

My soul, wait thou only on God; for my expectation is from Him. Psalm 62:5

If there’s a hold up … God’s allowed it for a reason. Continue to be open to His leading and He will open doors in His timing.

Don't give up. Don’t stop believing. Stay full of hope and expectation. God's power is limitless, and He'll break through for YOU.

Father, life is really hard sometimes. Especially when we pray in faith for help and relief and it seems like we await forever for Your hand of favor to reach down and rescue us. Give us grace to wait on You, Lord. Do the work in us You must. But please, just hurry up! In Jesus' name, amen.

Waiting is HARD

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not faint or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding. He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound]. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; 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. Isaiah 40:28-31

 

If there’s a hold up … God’s allowed it for a reason. Continue to be open to His leading and He will open doors (literally as well as figuratively) in His timing.

 

In the above scriptures, the Lord promises that He'll give us strength FROM THE WAITING. So, if you're in need of strength ... waiting is exactly what you need to be doing. And to wait right, IN FAITH.

 It takes a lot of faith and courage to step out and I PROMISE that God’s going to meet your faith.

You hold on there honey, God REALLY IS faithful and He is SO in love with you.

Father, we pray for grace to wait and favor that Your work gets finished OR that something even better is in the works, for You are FAITHFUL to complete what You begin. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

 

 

 

Now More than Ever

Go away, all you who do evil, for the Lord HAS heard my weeping. The Lord HAS heard my plea; the Lord WILL answer my prayer. Psalm 6:8,9

LORD, help us to hear from You today, and may we be obedient. Give us wisdom to make right decisions.

LORD, have mercy and compassion on us.

LORD, we need Your strength and grace. Help our bodies to be physically able and our minds to be mentally able to do what we need to do.

LORD JESUS, heal our bodies. Take away sickness and pain. Release us from the tormenting spirits.

LORD, keep us close to You through the things that we are going through, help us not to push You away in difficult times, but instead allow You to draw us closer.

LORD, give us Your peace, Your perfect peace, that surpasses all understanding.

LORD, be with us, our families, our friends, all Your people ... special touch and anointing for us. Bless us with uncommon favor. Strengthen us. Heal us. Love on us. Help us to grab on, hold on and don’t let go of the hem of Your garment, Jesus. For all our needs are met in You. You are the Answer. To every question. To every problem. To every heartache. To every sickness. To every cry. Blood of Jesus over us.

His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him --- though He is not far from any one of us. Acts 17:27

We need You now LORD GOD … more than ever. Be not far from us.

While I'm Waiting

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. Isaiah 40:31

I told the Lord earlier today when we were talking, 'I would SO like things to be easier ... but I will serve and trust You regardless. I am walking strictly by faith. I am NOT gonna go by what I see or feel.'  

The Lord responded back to me, 'The fire may feel like its getting turned hotter and hotter, but you WON'T get burnt ... you won't even smell like smoke. Refuse to submit to the thought that the devil has power over you. I said in My Word, I give YOU power over the enemy. It's in the waiting that your strength will be renewed. Wait on Me, hope in Me, and I WILL come through for you. I take GOOD CARE of My children.'

I have given you AUTHORITY to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome ALL the power of the enemy; NOTHING will harm you. Luke 10:19

I've made a decision that I WILL worship while I’m waiting.

Father, I'm grateful for You for SO MANY reasons, I love you so. Anything here on this earth that I go through is WORTH IT for the hope that I have to see and spend the rest of my days in Heaven with You … YOU are WORTH IT. Strengthen us as we wait on You. Give us grace to go through and equip us with hope to endure to the end. In Jesus’ name, amen.


see also: (While I’m Waiting) I Will Worship by John Waller
 

Oh YES You Can

God is our refuge and strength, a very-present (right now when we need it) help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

 

Everyone has troubles. We all face problems, afflictions, heartaches, suffering and hardships. We all get weary at one point or another in the journey.

 

You need to know something. You CAN make it. You CAN do it. Keep going forward ... one step at a time. You've survived and made it this far, YOU WILL make it further, HOLD ON.

 

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.  The Lord will rescue His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned. Psalm 34:17-19,22

 

God may not remove all of our problems and afflictions immediately, but He WILL make sure we are able to endure them faithfully. He WILL provide the strength we need to be faithful despite the problems we are going through.

 

Just ask.

 

Father, please strengthen those who are tired of holding on. Send them a sign that You are there and renew their hope. Help us to wait on You, Lord and renew our strength in the waiting. Give grace, grace and more grace. In Jesus' name, amen.


 

see also: So, Are You Still Standing?

              

You've Been Armed

The righteous shall live by faith. Romans 1:17

You can maintain joy amidst life's trials by staying focused on God's faithfulness instead of the unfaithfulness of others. You have been armed with strength for EVERY battle. The forces FOR you are greater than the forces AGAINST you.

Don't quit now. You’re experiencing visible opposition because you’re making INVISIBLE progress. Breakthrough IS coming.

God’s given you the privilege of prayer so you won’t worry about your circumstances or what you are going through. He’ll take care of what you commit to Him.

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you. Psalm 37:5

Get your hands off of it, you can't do it anyway ... TRUST.

Father, take our worries and fears. Help us clear our minds of the confusion and fog. Give us peace and rest. Help us just to believe. In Jesus’ name, amen.



see related blogs of mine: Encourage Us, Lord
                                      You Can Trust the Father

In Times of Weakness

Let us then fearlessly, confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it]. Hebrews 4:16






In times of weakness do you depend on God, obey Him and seek strength to overcome? Or do you make excuses and turn from His leading? Vulnerabilities can drive you closer to God or blind you to His love.

Are your circumstances weighing you down? Do you feel trapped in your present situation? If so, you may be searching for a way out of your suffering. You may be vainly trying to find relief and solace in the flawed solutions of this world. Yet as we learn from the apostle Paul, God is the only solution to our struggles.

For years, Paul struggled with what he called "a thorn in my flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7). Many have theorized about what it might have been, but no one knows for sure what Paul faced. We do, however, know that it was mentally and physically exhausting for Paul. Perhaps because we aren't certain what it was, we can relate more to Paul's struggle as we compare it to our own.

In the midst of his pain and suffering, Jesus spoke directly to Paul, reassuring him of His watchcare.

"Three times," says Paul, "I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness'" (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).

Few of us like to think of ourselves as being weak. We like to think of ourselves as self-sufficient, even in our spirituality. We think we need to be strong in our Christian walk, so when sorrow comes, we strike out against it. When faced with discouragement, we draw back in fear. In the face of disappointments, we become angry, wondering if God has forgotten us. But HE HASN'T, and HE WON'T.

God didn't forget nor dismiss Paul's thorn, and He won't overlook ours. He uses life's stresses - physical and emotional - to draw us closer to Him. He can speak to us and show us how and where His grace is most efficient.

God could've eliminated Paul's struggle in a moment. But He knew that Paul would receive the greater blessing and the greater lesson by learning to rely on God's perfect strength through his difficulties. God knew that His grace wouldn't manifest or shine in a strong and self-sufficient person like it would in a person who suffered in weakness.

Do you find yourself stretched to the breaking point today? Even if you believe "I can't take another day of this. I just need to leave, to escape, to begin again," - you CAN'T outrun God. When you're faced with hardship, you need to run toward Him, not away from His love.

Some people, even Christians, have been running from God their whole lives. When the storms of life come, instead of leaning on the everlasting arms of Christ, they choose to run to false shelters, attempting to escape His reach. In the Psalms, King David had a realization about the wonder of God's grace and forgiveness, rather than running.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:7-10

Without a doubt, you can know that no matter what life menaces you with, God will pull you to safety if you call on Him. He is the One that can save you from certain defeat and give you the hope you need.

Panic and anxiety are no match for God's grace. He goes before us into life's battles. The victory is ours, though it does not come through our efforts or strength. It comes from His hands and His grace. No one is more committed to our success than Christ.

No matter what you face, God's grace IS sufficient. His power is revealed and made perfect through your weakness. Never be ashamed to cry out to the Lord. He listens for you and will come to you, fulfilling the promise of His matchless, perfect grace.

Don't be ashamed, embarrassed, or too prideful to come to Christ ... He's waiting for you.

God is the ONLY solution to our struggles.

Father, help us to come to You in time of need, without fear of rejection or judgment. We need Your grace to carry us through. Help us to come boldly to You, Abba Father ... and there I know You'll wrap Your loving, heavenly arms around us and give us strength and grace to go on. Comsume us with Your presence and Your peace. In Jesus' name, amen.




see also: Turn to God

Note to Encouragers - Are You Feeling the Weight?

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10






Know that if you're an encourager, the enemy will attack you with the opposite of that gifting ... discouragement. If you're gettin' hit with depression, in part it's because the enemy is scared of you and the damage you're doing to his kingdom.

If you're feeling discouraged, get in the Word and read until you get your peace back. Being an encourager can drain your strength, so continual feeding on God's Word and spending time in His presence is essential. Are you feeling the weight? When you help someone through something, be sure to ask the Lord to fill you back up and cast that persons cares on Him instead of walking around trying to hold yourself up under the weight of everyone's burdens. If you can, pray with the person you're helping right then and there, so ya'll can lift the burden to the Lord together. Burdens are too heavy for our shoulders and we weren't designed to carry them.

Cast your cares on the Lord, for He cares for you and HE WILL SUSTAIN YOU; He will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22

God's placed a beautiful gift within you. Don't let it be trampled on and smothered, lift your head high knowing that your heavenly Father is with you and is carrying you and rooting you on.

At night we may cry, but when morning comes we will celebrate. You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy. Psalm 30:5,11

Be encouraged all you encouragers ... YOU ARE GONNA MAKE IT. You're gonna make it, after all.

You CAN do it.

Father, I pray that You encourage us, give us joy, and give us words in due season for Your people and speak them through us. Be in agreement with me, Lord as I speak LIFE and HOPE to all those who just don't think they can take it anymore ... you WILL go thru, in Jesus' name.

Abiding Rest

O, my precious Savior
to whom I ever cling;
Please take each care and burden
My soul to You does bring.

For there is not one moment
I can live without Your grace;
How I need Your strength and love
Your tender, consoling embrace.

To guide me in each hour
As I know Your plans are best
So I may walk with joyful hope
In Your sweet, abiding rest.

Jennifer Messing
In The Shadow of His Wings

How's That Waiting Thing Working Out for You?

Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 / Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7 / Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5




Don't you just enjoy a nice, long WAIT? Oh, if we could have simple faith in our heavenly Father, that He's going to take care of our needs and rescue us when we need it. So often, we either don't believe He's going to come through for us (and why, because deep down we know He ALWAYS does), or we don't think He's going to do it for us like He would someone else.

What God does IN US while we wait, is as important as WHAT WE ARE WAITING FOR. There's important growth that can only happen to us in these times when we suffer through long periods of waiting. God knows waiting is good for us. AS WE WAIT, He's at work in us ... molding us and shaping us ... maturing us.

The people of Israel wandered in the desert for 40 years. It helped them to grow up. He took away their pride and proved that He would provide for them. God wanted them to reach the Promised Land, but He was more concerned that they arrive PREPARED than that they arrive SOON.

Remember how the Lord your God has led you in the desert for these forty years, taking away your pride and testing you, because He wanted to show what was in your heart. He took away your pride when He let you get hungry and then He fed you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had ever seen. This was to teach you that a person does not live by only eating bread, but by everything the Lord says. During these forty years, your clothes did not wear out, and your feet did not swell. Know in your heart that the Lord your God corrects you as a parent corrects a child. Deuteronomy 8:2-4

We need to learn to be PATIENT. Often we want God's resources, but we don't want His timing. We want His hand, but we don't want His calendar. We forget His work in us while we wait, which is as important as what we're waiting for. We must learn to trust that God knows what He's doing.

Maybe you're single and you feel a legitimate longing for intimacy. You're tired of being alone. Waiting is so hard and maybe there's a relationship at your fingertips that promises to take that loneliness away but you know that it's not honoring to God. You know in your heart this isn't the right person for you ... but you are tempted to think, I've been waiting long enough. I'm going to reach out for whatever satisfaction I can get in this life and worry about the consequences later. But when we're faced with times like this we must find the courage to WAIT on God and to be patient and trust His timing to say, Ok God, I will take You at Your Word. I will not get mixed up with a relationship that I know would dishonor You and bring damage to the souls of those involved. Even though I don't know what tomorrow holds and even though I sometimes feel like nobody in this world understands how painful it is to be alone, I will trust You. I will wait. (FYI - I'm not looking for anyone, this is an example.)

Maybe you've been ill for a long time, and you've almost exhausted yourself at the feet of Jesus, waiting for the illness, pain and suffering to lift. Know that God works all things together for good and He's not only going to manifest the healing that He's already provided for you, He's going to bring some other good things from that trial as well ... like the fact that people are encouraged when you go through instead of giving up, and giving you compassion to pray for others in similiar situations. (FYI - I am awaiting healing in several areas of my health.)

We may be tempted to take things into our own hands, but we must learn to trust our God, to say with the Psalmist, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in Your hands (Psalm 31:14,15). We must cling to Jesus' promise in Luke 18:7 where He said, God will always give what is right to His people who cry to Him night and day, and He will not be slow [according to His perfect timing] to answer them. When we experience seemingly endless times of waiting we need the patience of the man who prayed, God, I cannot grasp Your mind, but with my whole heart I trust Your love.

We need to be HUMBLE. To wait for someone is to realize that I'm not in control. I'm not calling the shots; the timing is not up to me. To grow in times of waiting on God we must remember that we are not in charge. We're the creature. He is the Creator. He is the Potter. We are the clay. This is the principle that Proverbs 3:34 refers to when it says that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. It's right that we should wait on Him for when we trust God with this kind of quiet humility we are saying that we understand that He is able to take care of us in the waiting times. God's God and we're not. He sees the big picture and we can't.

We need to have an inextinguishable HOPE. Hope believes that things will get better eventually. It gives us the strength to endure until tomorrow again and again. Romans 5:3-5 says, Suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. Hope is the fuel that keeps a person going in tough times. While waiting, we need to act on what we know, obeying God as though we can see the outcome. When we do this we become more confident in His instruction, more hope filled people.

Thomas Merton wrote, 'The more we seek God in daily prayer; the more we study His Word; the more we trust Him enough to follow His commands ... the more we see that He is worthy of our trust and then the more hopeful we can be - even in times of waiting.

We don't get to know God and then do His will. We get to know Him more deeply BY DOING His will. We enter into an active relationship with Him. And in this relationship we develop a faith that is ... sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1), a faith that is confident that He who began a good work [in our lives] will carry it on to completion no matter how long it takes (Philippians 1:6).

Wait ... patiently. For it's in the waiting that we gain our strength (Isaiah 40:31).

Prayer: Father, I pray that even though I may be having a tough time waiting on You, You will help me to find peace in Your timing and Your ways. Give me the hope and the strength that I need to continue, and to make right choices. Help me not to grow weary in well doing. In Jesus' name, amen.