Life moves fast sometimes, does it not? Whether it’s the daily grind at work, keeping up with packed schedules, catching up on house projects or school assignments, or taking care of your family, many of us know what it is like to hit a wall and say, “I just can’t do this.” We all reach our limits sometimes.
If you are at that point, consider Isaiah 40:28–31.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:28–31 (ESV)
This passage gives us a timeless answer to the question: “What should I do when I can’t?”
1. Remember who God is.
Isaiah points us directly to God’s character in this passage. Who is he? He is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth, the sovereign over all its inhabitants, the orchestrator of all of its happenings.
2. Admit that my own strength runs out.
Isaiah reminds us, “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted” (v. 30). Even the strongest athlete, the best parent, or the smartest student runs out of fuel eventually. It’s normal to be weak. It is part of the human condition. And God intentionally brings us to the point of exhaustion all the time because it shows us we need help beyond ourselves. We get tired and faint because in those moments, we will seek counsel and satisfaction in the God whose power and wisdom are boundless.
3. Trust God to give his strength.
We see an encouraging promise in verse 29: “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.” When we’re empty, God is able to fill us. The recipients of God’s strength are not the mighty and able, but the weak and low.
To close this passage, Isaiah wrote, “They who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (v. 31). Trusting in the Lord doesn’t remove all of life’s struggles, but it gives us the endurance to walk, run, and even soar through them without giving up. Why? Because the God that supplies our strength is the everlasting God, and as sure as he is eternal, his strength will be provided to those who are his children.
Bee-Attitude
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord when they have met their limit, for he will renew their strength.
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
