What Does Isaiah 40:31 Mean?
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“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
So much of our Christian walk exists as an oxymoron. For example, you don’t work to earn salvation; you receive it by grace. You lose your life by trying to keep it, but you gain life when you lose it. Our experience as believers should be contrary to everything the world tells us.
When we come to this verse in Isaiah 40:31, we see another oxymoron. Here we find strength in waiting, trusting, and hoping in the Lord. Again, this goes against what we would normally associate with finding strength. So what does Isaiah 40:31 mean and how can you apply it to your life starting right now?
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What Does This Verse Mean?
Let’s break down the elements of this verse. The key to this verse is wrapped around this idea of hoping in the Lord. Everything else that happens in this verse flows from that hope. This is a cause-and-effect verse.
The word for hope used here in the Hebrew is a word that speaks of anticipation. The one who is hoping in or waiting on the Lord, which is used in other translations, is doing so with an expectation of God’s response.
Here is how this verse reads in some other translations.
AMP – “But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired.”
KJV – “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.”
The Message – “But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.”
NLT – “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.”
The ones who hope in the Lord are believing God will come through. That becomes the source of their hope and the reason they can wait with confidence.
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3 Reasons Hoping in the Lord Produces Results in Your Life
Let’s consider how this oxymoron of hoping, waiting, and strength plays out in your life. You usually think of hoping and waiting as passive activities, yet we see here they are producing results. Because you are hoping in the Lord, you are finding renewed strength. The question is why is this true? Let me give you three reasons.
Focus
Hoping in the Lord takes the focus off your situation and places it on the Lord.
When you choose to hope in the Lord, the lens through which you view your circumstances shifts. Instead of looking around, you redirect your attention from the challenges you face onto God’s boundless power and his unwavering love for you. Hoping in the Lord is really an act of surrender, where you recognize the Lord is greater than any situation, any worry, or any anxiety you may experience.
Faith
Hoping in the Lord gives you an assurance that produces renewed strength.
When you look at what Isaiah 40:31 means, we know that hope gives you an assurance that infuses you with renewed strength. This assurance stems from God’s faithfulness and the fact that he will be with you through every trial and tribulation. Placing your hope in him allows you to tap into a wellspring of strength, peace, and reassurance. This helps to remind you that even amidst the storms of life, you are never alone. However, you can only experience this strength through hoping and waiting, not by worrying and being anxious.
Fortitude
Hoping in the Lord motivates you to keep going.
The third thing hoping in the Lord will do is it will give you the fortitude to keep moving forward. You can keep going because you know eventually God will come through in your situation. This will allow you to persevere, even in the face of adversity. It is through this assurance that we find the courage to face challenges head-on, knowing that his strength is made perfect in our weakness.
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How Does This Verse Encourage Us Today?
If you think about the world we are living in right now, there is a lot that can make you worry and destroy your strength. The list of issues that can exhaust you is long. However, the good news is it really doesn’t matter how long the list is because God’s strength is still greater.
When you look at the verses that precede verse 31, you find the source of your strength and the reason you can hope in the Lord.
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall” (Isaiah 40:28-30).
This verse defines why you can have hope in the Lord, especially when you are tired and weak. The first reason is God does not get tired or weary. This means he is never overwhelmed by life. We may be, but he certainly is not.
The second reason is he has promised to give strength to those who are weary and power to those who are weak. He is saying when you are weak and weary, my strength will empower you because I have a never-ending supply of strength ready to give to you.
The last reason is God recognizes there will be times in your life where you will grow tired and be weak. Notice God doesn’t condemn you for this, he instead offers you a solution. That solution is to hope in him – to do as we said earlier and to look to him instead of the situations happening around you. When you do, you get to tap into his endless reservoir of strength and power.
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How Are You Doing Today?
Are you tired?
Are you feeling weak and weary?
Are you feeling run down because life or the situations in life have overwhelmed you?
In the journey of life, it is crucial to acknowledge that weariness may inevitably creep in. However, it is equally important to understand you can be strong even amidst your weakness. The solution is not in striving to be strong on your own but resting in God’s strength. When he is your source of strength, he will equip you to endure the trials that come your way.
The key to receiving God’s strength during life’s adversities is waiting and hoping. In those acts, you unlock the provisions required to navigate life's challenges. By cultivating a patient and hopeful spirit, you tap into the wellspring of resilience and fortitude that God has for you. This enables you to overcome any obstacle that may arise.
You can rest assured, for in God's strength, you will discover all you need to be strong in the face of life’s adversities. Wherever you are today, don’t stop hoping in the Lord, for that is the only way to renew your strength.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Tinnakorn Jorruang
