Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint.

– Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

I was tired – dog-tired! I came back from vacation tired. I needed a vacation to rest up from my vacation. You know the feeling? I thought things would get better. But they didn’t. We came back from vacation and hit the road running. It was a non-stop demand for my time from other people who needed my time to accomplish their ends. I was so busy I couldn’t get any of the things on my list done. I kept thinking things would get better. But it didn’t, and there didn’t seem to be any end in sight. I was tired. I thought I would adjust and get back to my normal self soon. But I didn’t. It just kept getting worse and worse, and I got more and more tired all the time. I could barely get out of bed in the morning. I began to think there was something wrong with me, physically or mentally.

Finally, God reminded me of his promise: if I wait on Him (trust in Him), I will soar on wings like eagles, I will run and not grow weary, and I will walk and not faint. Oh, for the strength to do that. So, I prayed and told God I was trusting in Him for my strength. I wanted to not be weary even when I was running. I wanted to feel normal again.

God came through for me. The next morning, when I wanted to stay in bed, I asked God to get me out of bed. After breakfast, when I wanted to sit back and do the easy things, I asked God to give me the motivation to pull weeds. What grueling work, but, oh, how good it felt to be doing something again. Even after pulling weeds, I felt like I could face the world again.

The Lord is my strength and my song. I will sing for joy for His salvation.

(Ps. 118.14; Isa. 12.2 ESV)