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“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” (Isaiah 40:31, NIV).
When I was in late high school and early college, I was obsessed with running. While I never ran for an academic team, I had personal goals and challenges I would set for myself week after week. From sprint workouts to fartleks, my average was 3-5 miles a day, 5 times a week.
One day, I was running on the paved trail at Ohio Christian University. Summer had just turned into fall, and I was getting into my groove. Every step on the black asphalt beneath my feet made me feel quicker and stronger. I didn’t have a particular goal for that run, but it ended up being my fastest miles yet. Why?
Because as I listened to worship songs, my feet picked up the pace. I envisioned a world where no more suffering or family drama would exist. A world where my feet literally or figuratively would never grow weary. A world where trauma, abuse, and every shed tear would cease. Runner or not, doesn’t that sound like a dream?
The good news about Isaiah’s words in chapter 40, verse 31, is that we don’t have to wait for Heaven to experience Jesus’ hope in the here and now. Yes, Heaven is the only place where pain, sorrow, and fatigue will no longer exist. That’s a promise for Heaven and not earth. But if we believe in Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him, that promise of hope can equip and encourage us today.
Having hope in something, and more specifically someone beyond yourself, is powerful because it releases control. It acknowledges that we cannot do the thing, but He can. Hope is also not passive optimism, but rather active faith. It’s the belief that God will do what He’s said He will do, and despite my present circumstances, no matter what comes, I am choosing to believe His words.
Friends, no matter what you’re facing today, be encouraged that Jesus’ words are for now and the not yet. He gives us hope for today and tomorrow, and eternal hope for the future we will find in Heaven. This hope can outlast the most difficult race, and when we face hard things, we will not grow weary.