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“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength...”
- Isaiah 40:31
In Oh, the Places You’ll Go, Dr. Seuss captures life’s ups and downs with playful rhymes and illustrations. In one section, he describes waiting as “a most useless place.”
“You can get so confused
that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or the waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.”
Dr. Seuss captures how many of us feel about waiting. It is rarely easy. We often want immediate answers, quick healing, or fast solutions. Yet God’s timing is always perfect, even when it does not match our schedule. Waiting is not wasted when it draws us closer to Him. In quiet seasons, God develops patience, wisdom, and deeper dependence on His presence.
Hope transforms waiting from passive endurance into active trust. Instead of focusing on how long the journey has been, focus on the One walking beside you. The God who began His work in your life has not forgotten you. As you continue placing your hope in Him, He will renew your strength.
God tells us that, we should wait with hope.
“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
Waiting on God isn't passive. It is confident expectation that He is working even when we can't see it. Scripture also tells us that God is worth waiting for. In Lamentations 3:25, it says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.” — Lamentations 3:25
God promises His goodness to those who trust His timing rather than forcing their own. It is often so hard to wait and trust God’s timing. But He knows and loves us more than we could ever imagine. We can trust Him because His timing is perfect. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” What feels delayed to us is never late to God. His timing accomplishes purposes we often can't yet understand.
In addition, waiting produces spiritual maturity, because God uses waiting to develop perseverance, humility, and dependence on Him. James 1:4 tells us, “Let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
While we may dislike waiting, God greatly uses it in our lives. Therefore, we can be still before God and wait patiently for him as Psalms 37:7 says, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”
Today, as you look at the areas of your life you are waiting for answers from God on, wait with courage and be strong, God is at work on your behalf. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” — Psalms 27:14
Waiting isn't for the weak. It takes courage to trust God when answers don't come quickly. While we wait for God to change our circumstances, He is often changing us.
Prayer: Lord, teach me to wait with confidence instead of anxiety. Renew my strength when I grow tired and remind me that Your timing is always perfect. Help me trust You one day at a time. Amen.
With Love,
Sherry Shepherd
Waiting isn't wasted when we're waiting with God. Before moving on with your day, slow down and consider what you're waiting for right now. Bring the uncertainty, disappointment, and questions to God. Then reflect on the ways He has strengthened you before. Your journal can become a place to surrender the timeline, remember His faithfulness, and make room for renewed hope.
Journal & Reflect
- What are you currently waiting for, and how is the waiting affecting your heart?
- Where might God be asking you to trust His timing rather than your own?
- Think of a time when God strengthened you during a difficult season. What do you remember about His faithfulness?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Isaiah 40:31 mean?
Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that those who place their hope in the Lord can find renewed strength. Rather than relying solely on our own strength, we're invited to trust God's power and timing.
Why does God make us wait?
Scripture doesn't give a single explanation for every season of waiting. But waiting can deepen our trust, develop perseverance, and teach us to depend more fully on God rather than our circumstances.
How can I stay hopeful while waiting?
Stay connected to God's Word, bring your honest feelings to Him in prayer, and remember His faithfulness in previous seasons. Hope grows when we continually turn our attention back to who God is.
What does it mean to renew my strength?
It means receiving strength from God when our own feels depleted. Isaiah's imagery reminds us that God can sustain and restore us even when the waiting has left us weary.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You know what I'm waiting for and how difficult the uncertainty can feel. Help me trust You when I cannot see what is ahead. When I grow weary, renew my strength. When I become discouraged, remind me of Your faithfulness. Teach me to wait with hope rather than fear, knowing that Your timing is never outside Your care. Help me keep my eyes on You and trust that You are working even when I cannot yet see the answer.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
Message from Kara
Waiting can be one of the hardest parts of faith. I've had seasons when I wanted an answer, a direction, or simply a sign that something was changing. But I've also learned that God can do some of His deepest work in the waiting. He teaches us to slow down, trust Him, and find our strength in Him rather than in knowing exactly what comes next.
If you're waiting for something today, my prayer is that you won't see this season as wasted time. God is with you here, too. Keep hoping in Him. Keep trusting. And let Him renew your strength for the journey ahead.
With love ,
Kara 🤍
Applying this to your Daily Routine
Take time to reflect, pray, and process what God is teaching you through every season. Our Personalized Prayer Journal was designed to help you grow deeper in faith—one day at a time–turning intention into habit. Many people use journals to revisit verses like these and reflect throughout the week.
👉 Explore Personalized Scripture Products at www.papersunday.com
Today's devotional pairs beautifully with the Still Waters by Heather Hostetter | Personalized Scripture Journal
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