13 Days of Trust in the Lord and do good. Day 11 – Isaiah 40:31, NLT

“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. ”

Today’s “trust in the Lord”, found in the New Living Translation (NLT) says that trust will “gain new strength.” As I consider this, the New American Standard (NASB) translation draws my attention.

“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.”

Failing to truly and fully trust God can make waiting on Him extremely difficult. That’s when my fix-it mentality kicks in and I wear myself out running circles I think will improve a situation. That’s also when I manage to get in God’s way and mess things up.

God has plans for us and those we love; and He knows what is needed to get us where we need to be for their fulfillment. Trust empowers our ability to wait with “active patience”.

Again, patriarch Joseph comes to mind: he did not sit idle in waiting for his promised greatness. He worked hard where he was, honoring his God by being the best at everything required of him by his taskmasters.

Active waiting empowers our strength, both for the days of waiting, and for the time when God’s hand moves and our future begins.