Wait. Hope. Trust.

I have shared this with y'all before, but the Lord always seems to have to knock me up side the head to get my attention sometimes.  Over the past few weeks, 3 words and 1 verse have been repeatedly put in conversations, sermons, and Bible Study.  Does that ever happen to anyone else?? 

A few weeks ago in our Bible Study we are doing with our youth, we were reading out of Isaiah 40.  We were watching a video segment of Louie Giglio, and he was referring specifically to Isaiah 40:31.

I have a Parallel Bible (you can find a zillion of them on Amazon) that has 4 versions in one Bible.  It's WONDERFUL when we are doing Bible Study to be able to see what the different versions say, and helps to better understand the text.  Anyway, I always automatically look at each one when hearing a verse to see how each is written.  This is what each of them said for Isaiah 40:31:

King James: 
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.

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."

New American Standard:
"Yet 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."

New Living:
"But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint."

Hmm, each version translated the verse all verbatim to one another except for one word was different - wait, hope, wait, trust.  Louie went on to say that the Greek translation for the word "wait" is literally "to hope" or "to trust".  (So, each version is right...this is not a debate about a particular version of the Bible being right or wrong - don't get side tracked!!) 

Isn't it interesting that the word "wait" - which instantly makes me fidgety - means the same thing as "trust" and "hope"??  Waiting somehow is a negative word to me.  When I think of "waiting" on ANYTHING, I get annoyed, fidgety, and think of all the reasons why I don't/can't wait.  But, when I think of "trust" and "hope" I feel like there's possibility and certainty of something better happening soon.

Brad and I always, always, always, seem to be in "waiting" mode...did I say always??? (The frustrating, fidgety kind of waiting)  Waiting to do things in our house, waiting to make plans about our future, waiting for a baby, waiting until we're finished with seminary, waiting on job opportunities, waiting until we have more money saved...waiting, waiting, waiting.  Whether it's for 5 minutes or 5 years, waiting drives. me. insane.  But, the Lord reminded me of this verse that when I wait for Him, He will give me strength.  When I put my hope in Him, He will renew my strength.  When I trust in Him, I will find new strength. 

And, His strength will make the waiting, the trusting, the hoping much less of a load of burden and much more a load of joy. 

But, what happens when - after waiting and being FAITHFUL to Him, feeling you have been completely OBEDIENT to Him - His answer to your waiting is not "Yes" or "No", but "Not yet - continue to wait"?? 

...to be continued...come back tomorrow for part 2 of this rambling insight :)