Daily Devotions

“But those 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.” — Isaiah 40:31

Learning to still our souls and wait before God may be one of the hardest disciplines in the Christian life. Everything around us urges haste. Our culture glorifies speed. Our old, impatient nature is always in a rush. But a restless heart often leads to a reckless life.

Here's a familiar scenario: you're ready to go somewhere, standing at the door or sitting in the car, and someone—your spouse, children, or friend—just isn’t ready yet. You’re watching the minutes tick by. Now, what's going on inside you? Are you calmly admiring the flowers swaying in the breeze? Browsing the car manual for hidden features? Probably not. Most likely, you're feeling frustration rising and impatience flaring.

In those moments, ask yourself: What’s more important—getting there on time or the people I’m waiting for?

If God can patiently watch over a world that is far from what He created it to be, perhaps we can learn to reflect some of that divine patience ourselves. And maybe, just maybe, when we wait without grumbling, God might open our eyes to opportunities we would otherwise miss—moments of grace, insight, or unexpected blessing.

Adam Mabry reflects on this kind of waiting in his book The Art of Rest: Faith to Hit Pause in a World that Never Stops. He writes:

“It is a great and glorious truth that we humans were made for the glory of God. To experience and express all the wonders of His manifold attributes is the delightful vocation of His people.”

This is what Isaiah 40:31 promises: that when we wait—not passively, but with trust—we discover a strength that isn't our own. We are lifted beyond fatigue and discouragement, like eagles carried by the wind. This is not the strength that comes from striving harder, but the power that flows from surrender and trust.

A Prayer

Lord,
You have spoken to us through your Word, saying,
“Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles.”
Teach us how to wait—not impatiently, but faithfully—
so that we may learn how to fly.

May the nest we call family be built with sturdy branches of love and grace.
And remind us always that the nest is not a place to hide,
but a perch from which to launch into your purposes.

Give us confidence in your presence,
and the quiet assurance that when we take flight,
we never fly alone.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.