Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
“But those who wait on 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.”
I. Introduction: The Challenge of Delay
If you’ve ever had to stand in a long DMV line, wait for a table when you’re starving, or sat in traffic with your gas light on, then I can tell—you already know the agony of waiting.
Let’s be real. Waiting is not something we’re naturally good at. We live in a culture of Amazon Prime, microwave meals, and Wi-Fi that better not buffer for more than one second.
We want things now.
We want our healing now.
Our breakthrough now.
Our spouse now.
Our promotion now.
But here’s the truth: God’s timeline is not our timeline, and His ways are not our ways.
Have you ever prayed for something only to wait…and wait…and wait some more?
We find ourselves asking, “God, why are You taking so long?” Or maybe, “God, have You forgotten about me?” But I want to encourage you today with this truth: Waiting is not wasting. When we wait in faith, we grow in strength. God often does His deepest work in us during the delay.
Let’s let Isaiah 40:31 serve as our foundation for this message: “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…” (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV)
There is promise in the pause. There is purpose in the delay. God does some of His deepest work in the waiting. But there is also a right way to wait—waiting well.
II. Waiting Is Not Passive – It’s Active Faith
Waiting on God doesn’t mean sitting back in despair or folding our arms in bitterness. Waiting, in a biblical sense, is about moving forward with trust and expectation that God is doing something—even when we can’t see it.
Psalm 27:14 NKJV
“Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!”
David, the man after God’s own heart, reminds us that waiting is an act of courage. It doesn’t look passive—it looks brave. So what does active waiting actually look like?
A. Active Waiting Involves:
I. Prayerful Expectation
We don’t wait in silence; we wait in prayer. Not just pleading, but listening. Not just asking for outcomes, but inviting God’s perspective.
Colossians 4:2 NKJV
“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.”
Prayer changes us. It realigns our hearts with God’s heart. In prayer, we move from “God change my situation” to “God change me.”
2. Obedience in the Present
Waiting well means staying faithful to what God has last told you. Maybe God called you to serve, to stay, or to give—and you haven’t seen fruit yet. Obedience is the plow that tills the soil of blessing. Sometimes the next step comes after continued obedience in the current one.
3. Cultivating Trust Over Time
Trust isn’t built in seconds; it’s forged over long seasons. To wait well means you let go of control and surrender the timeline to God.
Let me ask you: Are you waiting with frustration or with faith? Because waiting with faith is what activates strength in the spirit.
III. God’s Timing Is Perfect
God’s clock operates on a sovereign schedule. Sometimes we feel late. Other times we feel like God is late. But hear me: God may be slow by human standards, but He is never late by heavenly design.
God observes from a divine aerial view, while we only see what’s ten feet ahead.
Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”
There’s a blessing in the waiting, not because we love the delay, but because we learn to trust the One who holds time in His hands.
A. God’s Delays Are Often for Our Development
I. To Refine Our Character
Have you ever noticed that some of the strongest people you know have also gone through some of the longest waits?
James 1:3 NKJV
“Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
Waiting reveals what’s in us. It reveals our idols, our impulses, and our priorities. But it also builds spiritual muscle—patience, humility, perseverance.
2. To Prepare Circumstances
God isn’t just working in you; He’s working around you. That delay may mean He’s preparing a person, a place, or a purpose behind the scenes. What you call a “setback” may actually be a set up.
Think of a symphony. Every instrument must come in at just the right moment. If any section starts too early, it ruins the beauty. God is composing a masterpiece in your life, and He will cue your moment at the perfect time.
B. Delay Is Never Denial
Habakkuk 2:3 NKJV
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time…though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come…”
God has not said “no”—He has said “not yet.” And if God gave you the dream, you better believe He’ll bring it to fulfillment.
IV. Promise of Strength and Renewal in the Wait
There’s a beautiful truth tucked inside Isaiah 40:31. The word “renew” doesn’t just mean restore. In Hebrew, it implies exchange. When we wait, we exchange our weakness for His strength.
Let that sink in.
When we’re exhausted, anxious, and tired of waiting, God doesn’t just pat us on the back—He gives us His strength.
A. Levels of Strength in Isaiah 40:31:
I. “Mount up with wings like eagles” – Supernatural breakthroughs
This is the moment when God moves suddenly and you soar. These are the divine accelerations.
2. “Run and not be weary” – Sustained momentum
We don’t always get the mountaintop, but God gives us grace to endure the race.
3. “Walk and not faint” – Daily faithfulness in the mundane
Sometimes the miracle is just making it through another Monday with your peace intact. Faithfulness isn’t always flashy—it’s consistent.
And all three aspects of strength come not before the wait, but through the wait.
V. How to Wait Well
So what can we do right now to make sure we’re waiting well?
A. Be Anchored in Word and Worship
Get in your Bible. Find Scriptures that speak to God’s promises and speak them over your circumstances. Did you know that our Worship shifts atmospheres. Even in silence, your song becomes a weapon.
B. Build Community Support
Waiting can feel isolating. The enemy loves to whisper lies when you’re alone. Surround yourself with people who remind you of God’s faithfulness. Find a Life Group. Stay connected. That’s why coming to church is so important.
C. Watch for God’s Hand in the Small Things
Sometimes we miss God because we’re expecting Him to shout, but often times He comes in a whisper. It’s in the text from a friend, the song on the radio, or the sunrise you didn’t deserve to see.
Elijah waited for a dramatic display—and God didn’t come in fire, wind, or earthquake. He came in a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12). Sometimes the whisper is the wonder.
VI. Conclusion: The Reward of Those Who Wait
Let’s land the plane right where we started:
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV
“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…”
Waiting doesn’t have to deplete you—it can deepen you. Waiting doesn’t mean punishment—it points to preparation. And waiting doesn’t mean you’re forgotten—it means you’re being formed.
What if the waiting is where the blessing begins? May we be a church that doesn’t just wait… but waits well.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 NKJV
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
There is beauty in divine timing. I encourage you to lean into the wait with faith. It’s not wasted time; it’s a sacred space where God molds your heart, sharpens your purpose, and strengthens your spirit. The door will open in His perfect timing. Let us choose to wait well.
Your Sister In Christ,
Pastor Kris Belfils
Pastor Kris Belfils 