The Benefit of Waiting

The Benefit of Waiting

Isaiah 40:28–31 (KJV)

“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 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.”

Introduction

There’s something powerful about waiting. Waiting is not easy — we live in a microwave society, but we serve a crockpot God. Everything today is instant — instant coffee, instant credit, instant downloads. But when it comes to God’s promises, there are no shortcuts to His glory.

Isaiah 40:28–31 reminds us that there are divine benefits in waiting on the Lord. Waiting on God is not wasting time — it’s investing time in God’s perfect plan.

This passage comes at a moment when the people of Israel were weary and discouraged in Babylonian captivity. They felt forgotten by God. But Isaiah lifts their eyes to the heavens and says, “The everlasting God has not forgotten you.”

Let’s walk through this text verse by verse and see what happens when we wait on God.

Sermon in a Sentence: When we patiently wait on the Lord, He renews our strength, elevates our perspective, and empowers us to endure every season with supernatural grace and victory.

I. God’s Nature Sustains Our Waiting (v. 28)

“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.”

Isaiah begins with two rhetorical questions: “Have you not known? Have you not heard?” — as if to shake Israel from spiritual amnesia.

They knew who God was, but their situation made them forget.

He reminds them that God is everlasting — He has no beginning and no end.

He is Creator — He spoke the world into being.

He never grows weary — He doesn’t get tired, He doesn’t take naps, and He never goes off duty.

While you and I may grow weary waiting, God does not faint, and He never forgets.

📖 Cross References:

Psalm 121:3–4 — “He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.”

Malachi 3:6 — “For I am the LORD, I change not.”

Hebrews 13:8 — “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

🎯 Application: When you feel like God is taking too long, remember — He’s not tired, and He’s not late. He’s timeless and tireless.

💡 Illustration: NASA scientists monitor the sun around the clock because it’s our constant source of energy. But even the sun burns out a little each day. Yet our God — the One who made the sun — never loses power. He’s the same strength today that He was at creation!

II. God Gives Power in Our Weakness (v. 29)

“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.”

When your strength runs out, God’s strength steps in. He doesn’t just restore your strength — He increases it.

This is grace in motion. When you can’t lift your head, He lifts you.

📖 Cross References:

2 Corinthians 12:9 — “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

💡 Illustration: Think of your smartphone. When the battery runs low, you plug it into a power source. But if you stay disconnected too long, the phone dies. The same is true spiritually — if we stay plugged into God, He recharges our soul. But when we disconnect, we grow faint.

🎯 Application: God doesn’t expect you to face life on your own power. Waiting time is charging time. When you’re waiting on Him, He’s recharging your faith, restoring your hope, and reviving your strength.

III. Human Strength Has Limits (v. 30)

“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall.”

Isaiah points out that even the strongest among us have limits. Youth represents vitality, energy, and potential. Yet even they get tired.

This verse reminds us that no matter how capable or confident we are, human strength always runs out.

📖 Cross References:

Psalm 33:16–17 — “A king is not saved by the multitude of an host... A horse is a vain thing for safety.”

John 15:5 — “Without me ye can do nothing.”

💡 Illustration: Professional athletes train for years to perform at peak levels. Yet even the best eventually hit a wall of fatigue. No one can run forever on natural strength — it’s the same in the spirit. You can’t run on yesterday’s prayer, last week’s worship, or last year’s word. You need a fresh touch from God.

🎯 Application: Don’t depend on youth, education, or talent — depend on the Lord. Because when your strength runs out, His strength begins.

IV. Waiting Brings Supernatural Renewal (v. 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 is the benefit of waiting. The word “wait” here in Hebrew means “to bind together through expectation.” It’s like twisting strands of rope — the more they intertwine, the stronger they become.

Waiting on God doesn’t weaken you — it binds you closer to His strength.

Three Blessings of Waiting:

Renewed Strength – “They shall renew their strength.”

God doesn’t just restore old strength — He gives new strength for a new season.

2 Corinthians 4:16 — “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

Elevated Vision – “They shall mount up with wings as eagles.”

Eagles soar above the storm; they use the wind that others fear to lift them higher.

Waiting lifts your perspective — you start seeing your problems from God’s point of view.

Colossians 3:2 — “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

Enduring Strength – “They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

When you wait on God, He gives you staying power.

He gives you strength not just to start the race, but to finish strong.

Galatians 6:9 — “Be not weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

💡 Illustration: An eagle doesn’t panic when a storm comes; it stretches its wings and lets the storm lift it higher. Likewise, when life’s storms come, waiting on God allows His Spirit to lift you above the chaos.

🎯 Application: Waiting on God transforms you. It’s not passive — it’s productive. When you wait right, God renews, revives, and repositions you.

Conclusion / Celebration (Hooping Close)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve learned — there’s a blessing in the waiting!

When you wait on the Lord, He’ll give you strength for the journey, Peace in the problem, And hope in the hardship!

When you wait on the Lord, He’ll turn your mourning into dancing, Your weakness into worship, Your pressure into power!

I wonder if there’s anybody here who can testify — “I almost gave up, but I waited on God!”

Somebody waited through sickness, Somebody waited through struggle, Somebody waited through sorrow — But you discovered that God will come through right on time!

⛪ Say yeah! He may not come when you want Him — But He’s always on time!

They that wait upon the Lord — Shall renew their strength! Tell your neighbor, “My strength is coming back!” I feel my joy coming back! I feel my peace coming back! I feel my worship coming back!

You’ll mount up with wings like an eagle — You’ll rise above the storm! You’ll run and not be weary — Walk and not faint!

Because the benefit of waiting — Is that while I’m waiting, God is working!

He’s working in my delay! He’s working in my discouragement! He’s working in my disappointment! And when He gets through working — I’ll come forth as pure gold!

So I’ll wait on Him… I’ll trust Him… I’ll praise Him in the waiting room… Because they that wait upon the Lord… Shall renew their strength!