Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today we’ll pause to find another secret to getting relief, which is waiting on God.

Today’s scripture, Isaiah 40:29-31 (NLT) says…
[29] He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. [30] Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. [31] But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Consider…
Today’s verses are familiar like yesterday’s verse was. In them we see the prescription for relief from exhaustion, which is waiting. Let’s look a little closer at the Great Physician’s exhaustion diagnosis and prescription for relief.

I remember seeing a workout shirt years ago that said “the grind is real”. That assessment of the daily efforts to live are exhausting is true for most people.

Often it seems like we live to work, rather than work to live. Yet that’s not what exhausts us the most, what really wears most of us out is worry. We worry about three main things…

• What hasn’t happened
• What will happen
• What’s happening

We obsess over the details of life despite Jesus telling us in Matthew 6:25-27 (NLT)…
[25] “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? [27] Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

So why do we spend so much time worrying about what we have or need, and what we must do to obtain or maintain it?

Perhaps we worry because we focus more on what we see, than believing Who we know.

Here’s an illustration that the Holy Spirit gave me, little children live carefree and worry-free lives. I remember my oldest son demonstrating this when he wanted McDonald’s as a toddler. I recall explaining that daddy didn’t have money to buy McDonald’s, and him responding, “just write a check”. It’s then that I realized my son watched his daddy and believed he could provide anything he needed or wanted.

That memory brings Luke 11:11-13 (NLT) to mind…
[11] “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? [12] Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! [13] So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

I like the way Luke wrote that, God will give the Holy Spirit, who is also known as the Helper. Thus when we need or want something, we only need to ask our Heavenly Father, and He will give us His Helper!

Let me remind you that God already helped us when we needed it. Romans 5:6 (NLT) explains…
[6] When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

I confess, I can’t get enough of citing that verse.

All of this is making me hear brother Chris Tomlin singing…

Oh, and I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching for answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need before we say a word

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

Because You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You’re perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Oh, it’s love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still into love, love, love

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

Today, God wants us to know that He’s a good good Father waiting patiently to help us.

The Holy Spirit connected new dots for me.

• God is good, and He loves and blesses everyone according to His grace
• God ALLOWS us to struggle, strain and stress trying to do things in our own strength
• God STRENGTHENS those who wait on, and trust in Him.

Luke 5:31-32 (NLT) affirms…
[31] Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. [32] I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

Coupling Jesus’ words with the beginning of today’s passage, I noticed the prophet said…
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

The Holy Spirit just showed me that if you think you can handle life on your own, you’re going to the Great Physician for help. Think about it, healthy people don’t go to cancer doctors or heart specialist. Indeed, it’s only when people recognize something is wrong that they seek help to fix it.

Thus, although the health concern of exhaustion still exists for many people, they toil on because they don’t recognize the need for God’s strength infusion.

So God’s diagnosis is stated succinctly in today’s verse 30…
Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

God is saying that everyone will become…

• Weak…lacking the power to perform physically demanding tasks; lacking physical strength and energy.
• Tired…in need of sleep or rest; weary.
• Exhhausted…drained of one’s physical or mental resources; very tired.

So if you’re lacking energy, needing rest or running on empty, today’s verse 31 is the Great Physician’s prescription…
those who trust in the LORD will find new strength

The King James Version says “they that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength.”

I like both versions because together they reveal waiting is the act of trusting.

The Holy Spirit showed it to me this way, we wait on things we trust will yield a desired outcome…

• We patiently wait to be seated at restaurants trusting we’ll enjoy their cuisine
• We patiently wait in doctor offices trusting we’ll get their assessment and aid if needed
• We patiently wait in airports trusting we will get on a plane and fly to our desired destination
• Mothers patiently wait nine months trusting they will give birth to their child
• Farmers and gardeners wait patiently on the seeds they’ve planted trusting that they will yield a harvest or bloom
• Grooms patiently wait at the altar trusting their bride will join him there and say “I do”.

Today the Great Physician is saying wait and trust in the LORD!

Psalms 37:7 (NLT) echoes…
[7] Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.

And Psalms 27:13-14 (NLT) testifies…
[13] Yet I am confident I will see the LORD’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. [14] Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.

Lastly Lamentations 3:25-26 (NLT) encourages…
[25] The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. [26] So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD.

The Holy Spirit is flashing strobe lights to Dewayne Woods singing…

I couldn’t seem to fall asleep
There was so much on my mind
Searching for that peace
But the peace I could not find

So then I kneeled down to pray
Praying help me please
But then he said you don’t have to cry
‘Cause I’ll supply all your needs

As soon as I stop worrying
Worrying how the story ends
I let go and I let God
Let God have His way

That’s when things start happening
When I stopped looking at back then
I let go and I let God
Let God have his way

There’s so much going on
Sometimes I can’t find my way
And often times I struggle
Struggle from day to day

I have to realize that it’s not my battle
It’s not my battle to fight
I have to know if I put it in your hands
That everything will be alright

As soon as I stop worrying
Worrying how the story ends
I let go and I let God
Let God have His way

That’s when things start happening
I stopped looking at back then
I let go and I let God have his way
Let God have his way

Let go, let God

So the next time you’re exhausted from doing all you can, wait on LORD and trust your new strength is in His mighty hand.

Today, stop struggling, straining and stressing trying to do things in your own strength and start waiting and trusting the LORD for His new strength to do what He’s already planned for you.

Today’s song is…
Wait On You

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)