“Those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.” – Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)
This daily devotional for women centers on a single idea that shows up again and again in Scripture: persistence, when it is aimed at godly things, is not a burden to carry alone. According to GotQuestions.org, the Bible generally treats persistence as a positive character trait, one tied closely to endurance and perseverance in the life of faith.
What This Verse Means
Isaiah 40:31 draws a picture of renewal that comes specifically from waiting on God, not from pushing harder under your own power. The verse moves through three images, soaring like an eagle, running without exhaustion, and walking without growing weary, each one describing a different pace of life that God’s strength can sustain.
Scripture backs up the idea that this kind of endurance matters to God. Jesus told a parable about a widow who kept asking an ungodly judge for justice until he finally granted her request, using her persistence to teach His followers something about persistent prayer, according to GotQuestions.org. Jesus also told His followers that those who persisted in faith to the end would be saved, a promise recorded in Mark 13:13.
That said, persistence is not automatically good just because it is relentless. GotQuestions.org notes that persistence becomes wrong when it serves selfish motives, such as persistent sin, nagging complaints, or lustful desires. The difference comes down to the objective behind it. Persistence pointed at godly goals reflects godly character, while persistence chasing worldly aims reflects worldly character, the site explains.
Living It Today
Life asks women to persevere in countless quiet ways, in work that does not get easier just because you have done it a thousand times, in relationships that require patience you did not know you had, in prayers that seem to go unanswered for longer than you would like. Isaiah 40:31 speaks directly into that weariness. The promise is not that the waiting disappears, but that strength is renewed specifically for those who wait on the Lord rather than relying solely on their own resolve.
The widow in Jesus’ parable did not win her case because she was especially powerful. She won it because she kept showing up. That is worth remembering on the days when perseverance feels less like soaring and more like simply putting one foot in front of the other.
Desiring God’s teaching on the perseverance of the saints points to a related truth: God keeps believers secure, but believers still have to actively maintain their faith rather than let it drift through sin. Perseverance is partly a gift and partly a daily choice.
Temptation, doubt and discouragement do not have the power to destroy a woman who keeps following Christ, according to GotQuestions.org. Staying the course, even imperfectly, keeps a believer from straying off the path God has set out.
Reflection Questions
Where in your life right now are you waiting on God rather than trying to force an outcome on your own?
Is there a persistent habit, worry or complaint in your life that may need to be redirected toward a more godly objective?
What would it look like this week to “wait for the Lord” in a specific situation instead of pushing ahead alone?
A Prayer For Today
Lord, thank You for the promise that my strength does not have to run out. When I am tired from carrying what feels heavy, remind me to wait on You instead of relying only on my own effort. Help me tell the difference between persistence that honors You and persistence that only serves myself.
Give me patience like the widow who kept asking, faith that holds through doubt and discouragement, and the quiet endurance to keep walking this path even when it is slow. Renew my strength today, Lord, and keep my eyes fixed on You. Amen.
For more encouragement, read the Oct. 13 daily devotional for women, the companion daily devotional for men, or the devotional on 1 John 4 and loving others well.
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