Isaiah 40:31 — Renewing Strength Is Not About Running Harder, but Waiting Better

Introduction: When You Have Nothing Left

There are days when we simply can’t go any further.
The body is tired, the mind overwhelmed, and the soul… worn out.

Sometimes we feel like we’ve tried everything and still see no fruit.
Other times, we feel exhausted before we even begin.

Isaiah 40:31 has been, for generations, a verse of hope for those who’ve reached their limit.
But its message is not about pushing harder or pretending everything is fine.

It’s a call to wait. To trust. To depend.
To renew our strength — not in ourselves — but in God.

And far from being passive, that kind of waiting is a deep and courageous act of faith.

Let’s break it down word by word to rediscover what God wants to promise and teach us.

The Verse (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.”
— Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

Before We Understand It… Let’s Set the Scene

Isaiah was writing to a people who were weary, worn out, and full of questions.
Many felt forgotten by God (v.27).
Others were losing strength from waiting too long for an answer, a way out, a restoration.

And God responds with a promise —
not based on human energy, but on divine faithfulness.

When we unpack this verse, we realize that renewing strength is not a fleeting emotion —
it is the direct result of actively trusting in God.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

This isn’t about complicating what God already said clearly.
But sometimes, looking closer allows us to hear His voice with new clarity —
a message that still touches the soul, centuries later.

“But those who hope in the Lord…”

Hebrew: וְקֹוֵי יְהוָה (ve-qovéi Adonai)

• קֹוֵי (qovéi): from qaváh, meaning to wait with hope, to long with expectation, to stretch forward with confidence.
  This is not passive waiting — it’s active, expectant faith.
  
  
• יְהוָה (YHWH): the sacred Name of God — the eternal, faithful, personal God.
  
  

This verse does not promise strength to just anyone —
only to those who wait on the Lord.
Not those who do more, but those who trust more.

“will renew their strength…”

Hebrew: יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ (yajalífú koáḥ)

• יַחֲלִיפוּ (yajalífú): to change, exchange, renew.
  It implies letting go of your exhausted strength and receiving new strength from heaven.
  
  
• כֹחַ (koáḥ): strength, power, capacity, vital energy.
  
  

God doesn’t recharge your old strength.
He gives you new strength — when you choose to wait on Him.

“they will soar on wings like eagles…”

Hebrew: יַעֲלוּ אֵבֶר כַּנְּשָׁרִים (ya‘alú éver ka-nesharím)

• יַעֲלוּ (ya‘alú): to rise, ascend, soar.
  
  
• אֵבֶר (éver): wings.
  
  
• נְשָׁרִים (nesharím): eagles — symbols of height, perspective, strength, and freedom.
  
  

Those who wait on God don’t escape their problems —
they rise above them with a new perspective from heaven.

“they will run and not grow weary…”

Hebrew: יָרוּצוּ וְלֹא יִיגָעוּ (yarutsú ve-ló yigá‘u)

• יָרוּצוּ (yarutsú): they will run — suggesting determined progress, perseverance, and moving forward without quitting.
  
  
• יִיגָעוּ (yigá‘u): to grow weary, to become physically exhausted.
  
  

God may not shorten the journey,
but He gives you strength to run it without collapse.

“they will walk and not be faint.”

Hebrew: יֵלְכוּ וְלֹא יִיעָפוּ (yelkhú ve-ló yiafú)

• יֵלְכוּ (yelkhú): they will walk — this refers to everyday faithfulness, steady steps, the routine of daily life.
  
  
• יִיעָפוּ (yiafú): to faint, to lose breath, to be worn out.
  
  

God’s strength isn’t just for dramatic moments.
He empowers you to remain faithful in the quiet, unseen steps of everyday life.

So What Is This Verse Really Saying?

After understanding every detail, listen again to the full promise:

“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.”

This isn’t shallow motivation.
It is a solid promise for those who wait on God with living faith.

And this image of divine renewal and strength appears in many other places throughout Scripture.

Concordance with Other Passages

Psalm 27:14

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Strength grows when we wait in faith — not when we rush or panic.

2 Corinthians 12:9

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
God doesn’t expect you to be strong on your own —
He glorifies Himself when you let Him be your strength.

Lamentations 3:25

“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.”
Waiting on God is not wasted time.
It’s where real strength is cultivated.

Matthew 11:28–29

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…”
Jesus doesn’t scold the weary —
He invites them to come and receive soul-deep rest.

Final Reflection

Isaiah 40:31 is a promise for the exhausted.
But it is not a promise for those who rely on their own strength.
It is for those who are willing to surrender and say:

“I can’t anymore… but You can in me.”

God invites you today to let go, to rest in Him,
and to remember that waiting on the Lord is not a delay —
it is where your soul is renewed.

Have You Been Striving in Your Own Strength?

Do you feel like you can’t go on — that your faith is wearing thin?

Today, you can pray this:

“Lord, I’m tired. I’ve tried to walk alone, and I have no strength left.
Today I want to wait on You.
Give me new wings, new steps, new hope.
Make me strong again. Amen.”