Wait Upon the Lord
“But they 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 (ESV)
Good morning.
We live in a world of instant everything — instant coffee, instant results, instant messaging. And yet, the things of God are rarely instant. Spiritual growth takes time. Healing can be a process. Answers to prayer may not come overnight.
And so, we need patience.
But let’s be honest — patience doesn’t come easy. It’s not natural. It’s not convenient. And often, it’s not popular. But patience is powerful, and it is biblical.
Patience Is a Fruit of the Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience…”
— Galatians 5:22 (ESV)
Patience isn’t something we manufacture. It’s something God grows in us. You don’t grit your teeth to get more patient — you walk with the Spirit, and He bears the fruit.
This means:
- Patience is not weakness.
- Patience is not passivity.
- Patience is a mark of spiritual maturity.
We don’t develop patience by avoiding trials — we grow it through them.
God Is Patient With Us
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you…”
— 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)
Let us never forget: God Himself is patient — and His patience is an invitation to repentance.
He waits for the prodigal.
He endures our wandering.
He withholds judgment so that more may come home.
If God is patient with us, how much more should we reflect that patience in our relationships, our prayers, and our daily lives?
Waiting on God Brings Strength
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
— Psalm 27:14 (ESV)
Waiting doesn’t mean doing nothing. Waiting means trusting. Waiting means worshipping. Waiting means walking forward even when we don’t see the full path.
Abraham waited decades for Isaac.
Joseph waited years in prison.
David waited to become king.
Jesus waited in the garden before the cross.
And yet, every delay had a purpose.
Every season of waiting became part of the testimony.
Patience in Trials
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
— Romans 12:12 (ESV)
The early church was familiar with suffering. Paul doesn’t say, “Escape your tribulation.” He says, be patient in it.
Patience is faith under pressure.
Patience says, “God is still good, even when life is hard.”
Patience says, “This pain will not last forever.”
Maybe you’re in a trial right now — a delay in a dream, a burden in your heart, a situation you can’t fix. God sees it. He hasn’t forgotten you.
The Gospel and God’s Timing
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son…”
— Galatians 4:4 (ESV)
God’s greatest act of love — the sending of Jesus — happened at the right time. Not too soon. Not too late.
And in the same way, He will act in your life at the right time.
Maybe you’ve been waiting for God to heal something — or someone. Maybe you’re waiting for freedom, for peace, for breakthrough. The cross and resurrection of Jesus prove: God moves in power, and He is never late.
Today, the invitation is to trust Him — and wait on Him. To surrender your timeline to His. To lay your burdens at His feet and receive the gift of patience.
Closing Thought
“You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
— James 5:8 (ESV)
Jesus is coming again. Let us live with patient hearts and urgent faith — trusting in the One who is always faithful.
Closing Prayer
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for Your patience with us. You are slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and rich in mercy. Today we confess — we grow weary in waiting. We want answers now. We want healing now. We want change now. But You call us to walk by faith, not by sight.
So we ask You, Lord, grow in us the fruit of patience.
Give us grace to wait on You.
Give us strength when the answers are delayed.
Teach us to trust Your timing more than our own plans.
Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Help us to be patient with our families, our communities, our circumstances, and ourselves.
Let our waiting become worship. Let our delays become declarations of faith.
And let our hearts always be anchored in the hope of Jesus Christ, who died and rose again — and who is coming soon.
We choose this day to wait upon the Lord. And we will not faint. We will rise. We will run. We will walk.
In Jesus’ name we pray —
Amen.