Isaiah 40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
This passage of scripture teaches us one of the most important truths in the Bible, one that can affect our eternal destiny for weal or for woe, depending on the attitudes we cultivate as it pertains to waiting upon God. It is worthy of note that the passage specifically mentions youth and young men who will certainly fall as a result of not waiting upon God, and the reason for this is that in their teenage and young adult years, young people usually think that they know it all, and are generally averse to any advice given by parents, elders, and those of more mature age and experience. This tendency then leads them to make critical mistakes which can then adversely affect them in later years, and satan, who has studied human nature with intensity for centuries, usually rises to the occasion, and takes advantage of their inexperience and immature judgment.
But the passage also includes adults who are also prone to be independent in thought and action, on account of our experience and knowledge, for there are many instances in our lives when we feel that a certain decision does not need to be taken before the throne of grace before we move forward with it. This attitude also causes us to stumble and fall, for there is no point in our experience when we can safely dispense with the wisdom and guidance of God, hence the reason why the passage states explicitly that those who learn this all-important lesson of waiting upon God, will renew their strength, which includes spiritual, mental, and physical strength, combined into one finely tuned, well-balanced, and complete whole.
The question then is: "How do we wait upon God?" The following answer, when implemented with a diligent heart and a humble spirit will save us many a heartache and unnecessary worry and problems, for it is a Biblical format for living, planning, and executing all of our God-given plans. We must put God first in our planning and decision-making processes, meaning that we should not even think about planning any course of action before first checking in with God to find out what His will is. This means coming to God with no plans whatsoever, so that His will can be made plain to us with a clarity that is not compromised by our own former opinions. Let's read:
Psalm 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. 9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.
Many of us do not actively practice this format, but instead start to think and plan first, before taking it to The Lord in prayer, so that what actually takes place is that we include God at the back-end of our plans, instead of at the front end where He should always be. And this habit, more than anything else is what often causes His voice and His will to become blurred in our minds. When we place our concerns and our situations before God in prayer, we should be humble enough to wait on His guidance, which often comes in the form of His providential workings in our lives. These providential workings are the experiences that He permits to come our way so that His will may be made known with clarity. But we must watch intently for His guiding hand, which shows our total dependence upon Him.
We must also seek His word, for there are many practical instructions given therein that can teach us the way in which we should go. Take for instance, when a person is approached by another to stand security for them on a loan, or to co-sign for a car or a house. The first thing we should do is to pray, and seek God's face, and search His word to see if there is any given instruction or guidance on the issue in question. And lo and behold, there it is, right in the Bible, so that we may avoid one of the most common snares of the enemy of souls. Let's read:
Proverbs 11:15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
Proverbs 6:1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, 2 Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. 3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. 4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. 5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
In our own experiences and decision-making processes, let us then be certain to include God at the front end of all our planning, and we will soon find out, that many of the mistakes and errors in judgment with which we are plagued from time to time, are totally unnecessary and are completely avoidable, if we would only learn the important lesson of waiting upon God. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reiterates this very point, and since practice makes perfect, we should immediately adopt the format given in the scriptures for our own well-being and sanity. Let's read:
Proverbs 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!