He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, 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.

                                                                                                                 Isaiah 40:29-31 

Spiritual strength is reserved for those who trust in the Lord. When we find ourselves “at the end of our rope”, we can live in the reality that while our strength may seem to wane, Divine strength is our to receive and enjoy. This is the subject of today’s passage.

Isaiah begins this passage by stating a spiritual reality…that God desires to give strength and power to those who need it most. “He (God) gives strength to the weary and to him who lacks might He (God) increases power.” This begs the question, “Why?” If we truly understood the nature of God and His desire to redeem mankind, the answer would begin to take shape and come into focus. God is good (Psalm 145:9). God is love (1 John 4:8). God desires to give us what is beneficial to our lives and our wellbeing (Matthew 7:11). These truths help us in understanding that within God’s goodness is His desire to strengthen us throughout life, especially when we find ourselves weary and tired.

Consider Jesus’ invitation:

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

                                                                                                            Matthew 11:28-30

Paul also found that when he lacked strength, he would find it. Consider his words:

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

                                                                                                   2 Corinthians 12:10 

So God will give strength to those who need it most. But there is more. “Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.” To wait on the Lord is to wait expectantly. That means that as we wait (and pray), we fully expect to have an answer from Him and for Him to give us everything necessary for our success and effectiveness. Again, consider Jesus’ instructions:

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

                                                                                                                 Matthew 7:7-8 

Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

                                                                                                               Mark 11:24 

These are definitive statements and they flow from the reality that we are to ask of God and then wait expectantly for His response. And when we do…we gain new strength. In other words, as we wait expectantly, we will be spiritually renewed. Consider the description of what a Christian should become:

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

                                                                                                            2 Corinthians 4:16 

So God loves to give strength to those who need it and for those who ask. And this renewal of our inner man, coming from the Spirit of God, is more than satisfactory for us to move forward in the life and calling that He has given us.

But Isaiah concludes with perhaps one of the most well known passages from this beloved prophet:

Those who wait (expectantly) for the Lord…”they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” Soaring through the sky as do the birds is the picture being presented. Although not literal, when God supplies us with His supernatural strength, we will feel as if we can soar. We will be able to run and not grow tired and we will walk and not become weary (spiritually speaking).

If you have ever experienced the presence of God in your life, no doubt you have discovered as to what Isaiah is referring. But the opposite is also true. When we live outside of the power that comes from the presence of God, we can begin to feel spiritually weak. The excitement and zeal that we once had for serving Him will often wane. We can begin to feel defeated and discouraged. But there is hope! Just as we experience that diminishing of our spiritual life, we can regain it as we call out to Him and wait expectantly for His reply.

Are you in need of gaining new strength? Why not spend some time with God today and receive what is yours in Christ Jesus!