Isaiah 40:31 (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.”
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV):
“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.”
Psalm 27:14 (NIV):
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Most times, people get confused when they read or hear the phrase “waiting on the Lord” for something. On the Got Questions website, it was explained that waiting upon the Lord is by trusting, seeking, and praying. The question, “What does ‘waiting upon/on the Lord’ mean?” popped up in my heart early this year when my pastor gave the instruction. I have heard people use this phrase a lot, and sometimes they use it passively. Let’s investigate from the Scriptures what the phrase means.
Isaiah 40:31 contrasts with what the writer said in verse 30: “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall.”
Youth and young men are known for their strength. This is like saying, “The strongest among you will faint and utterly fall if your trust or waiting is in your strength/capacity,” but those who wait upon the Lord will have their strength renewed. In other words, the writer is saying, “Do not trust in your strength because it can fail, but your trust should be in God.”
Back to the Question: What Does It Mean to “Wait Upon the Lord”?
According to Bible Study Tools, waiting on the Lord is a transformative experience that demands active faith, trust, and patience. The word “wait” comes from the Hebrew word “Qavah,” which means to expect (gather together with an expectation) and patiently tarry. Waiting on the Lord in the Scriptures is different from the worldly definition of “wait,” which can mean passively waiting for a friend to arrive.
Bill Johnson explained that waiting on the Lord is reducing options, positioning oneself with a refined focus, and expecting a God moment. However, it is not about sitting back and doing nothing. Most people have thought waiting means sitting back and doing nothing. For example, we see people praying about a matter but never taking corresponding actions given to them by God, yet they keep wishing the situation would change passively. This passive definition of waiting on the Lord has made many lazy.
A Practical Example That Differentiates Waiting on the Lord from Passiveness
God told Mr. A and Mr. B of His plans for them. He told them He wants to bless the world through them with their singing talent. Mr. A then regularly prays, listens to God, improves his singing skills, and starts recording himself with an expectation of what God has said, positioning himself for the next instructions from God. Meanwhile, Mr. B passively waits and wishes that something will happen one day without actively engaging in the first instruction God gave to them.
Another Illustration of What Biblical Waiting Means
Consider a farmer. When a farmer plants a crop, they wait for the harvest, right? So how do farmers wait? Do they just sit back wishing the crop grows? No, they actively visit the farm daily; some even go twice daily to water the crops, weed out any form of weed, and inspect the farm against any form of attacks from pests or other invaders. This illustration is similar to how we wait on the Lord. Waiting on the Lord is a journey—an active journey of listening, obeying, trusting, taking steps, withdrawing when He wants us to, and walking in faith.
Practical Examples of Men Who Waited on the Lord in Scripture
Noah is an example of a man who waited on the Lord (Genesis 6:13-22; 7, 8). Noah found grace before God. God then gave him an assignment to build an ark and provided all the required measurements. Noah did just as God instructed. Waiting upon the Lord might require stopping what you have been doing and starting afresh in a new direction, just like Noah. Noah likely had an occupation before God met with him, but he had to put that aside for God’s plan. However, he actively worked daily on building the ark. In chapter 7, God told him it was time to go into the ark. One crucial aspect of waiting is divine prompting and instruction from God. Obedience to those promptings is also significant in waiting upon the Lord.
Some people God has instructed to leave a career and focus on something else, but what differentiates such individuals from lazy people is their active engagement with what God has told them to do, often in private. While waiting on the Lord, the contemporary world might perceive you as lazy because you left a high-paying career to pursue what God is telling you to do. You must judge for yourself whether you are truly waiting on God or just being lazy, as there are lazy believers too.
Jesus and Paul are also examples of people who waited on the Lord. Jesus waited from age 12, after He appeared in the temple, until He was 30 years old when He fully began His ministry. Similarly, Paul spent three years in Arabia. During their waiting periods, they were building capacity. These were not years of mere sleeping and eating but of devotion. Galatians 1:11-21 explains that Paul’s teachings resulted from his waiting. He had to leave his zeal for Judaism to focus on God. He said, “The gospel I preach is by revelation of Jesus Christ” (vs. 12). This is what happens in our waiting period—we are established in our convictions. No wonder Paul was unmoved by obstacles. Only a man (Jesus) who waited upon the Lord for 18 years could die for the sin of the world.
I will not delve into other examples in the Bible, but these are significant for understanding what it means to wait upon/on the Lord. Waiting might require leaving your occupation or worldly identity to focus on something else, but it will never leave you idle. It can also involve waiting on the Lord for a need to be met in your life. His leading will be essential, and He will tell you where to focus. It could be shifting focus from the problem or yourself to Him. The focus may be as simple as praising God more, meditating more, or even resting in God more instead of complaining, worrying, and being troubled. However, waiting upon the Lord does not leave us idle.
It is possible that when God calls you apart for a purpose, you do not exactly know what He is saying. During this period, you must take time to pray, fast, and study the Word so your spirit can be alert to receive from Him. This period is not one of laziness; praying, fasting, and studying the Word of God require effort and discipline. This period will establish you and ground you. For people who thrive on activities like “doing, doing, and always doing something,” this period may feel unproductive. However, praying, fasting, studying, and taking notes are spiritual activities and are essential for the next phase that God is leading you into. This work builds conviction, which will carry you for life. This is similar to the angel telling Elijah, “Eat, for the journey is too much for you” (1 Kings 19:7-13).
What Should I Do While Waiting?
Invest in your relationship with God. Separate from distractions and focus on Him (Colossians 3:2). Obey divine instructions (Psalm 32:8; Isaiah 30:21; Jeremiah 29:11; Micah 7:7). Enjoy the season instead of feeling left out. Be hopeful. (Biblical “wait” can also mean “hope” – Psalm 130:5-6; Lamentations 3:25-26).
Quotes From Study Materials
- Bill Johnson: “Hope is joyful anticipation of good. Hope gives you permission to enjoy the emotion of the benefit of an answered prayer before it happens; hence, hope is the atmosphere in which faith grows.”
- Dr. Charles Stanley: “Requirements for waiting upon the Lord: Trust Him (it takes faith to wait upon the Lord); patience (you never waste time waiting on the Lord – Psalm 37:7); courage; determination; strength (nobody can change the mind of God, even when everyone is doing the wrong thing; hence, we need strength to obey in this times- and this strength is built during our waiting season); and lastly endurance. Obey God and leave all the outcomes and consequences to Him.”
- Derek Prince: “What waiting does to us. Derek calls this the ‘ways we acknowledge God by waiting for Him.’ We acknowledge God as our source, sovereignty, and dependence on Him (Psalm 25:1-5, 27:11-14, 62:1-2, 5-6, Isaiah 64:4). In waiting on the Lord, we develop stability (Isaiah 30:18). Sometimes, God is also waiting for us to grow and be established before handing over His plan or answering our prayers.”
In closing, it is interesting that as we wait on God, He also waits for us—just as my friend, Prophet Solomon Exousia, waits for his son to grow so they can play ball together. If he tries to play ball with Ezekiel, who is about 10 months old, he would break Ezekiel’s bones—on a lighter note, of course. Isn’t it amazing that God also waits for us to grow?
Thank You, God, for Your patience in our lives. I love You, God, because You are good. Lord, I pray that my readers’ relationships with You will be established as they read this article. God, I pray that You grant us all the willingness to choose You in this confused and distracted world. Thank You, God. May Your name be praised forever.