Walk, Run, Fly, and Soar
The journey that makes for consistent victory
Dear #DailyFollower,
Introduction
As followers of Jesus, when we wait (more specifically on Jesus), we gain the strength we need to take actions that move us forward.
How do I know?
Isaiah 40:31, EXB says so:
31 But the people who ·trust [hope in; wait on] the Lord will become strong again.
They will rise up ·as an eagle in the sky [with wings like eagles];
they will run and not ·need rest [grow weary];
they will walk and not ·become tired [faint].
And I believe it!
Not just because the Word of God says it (which should be enough, in any case), but because I have received strength multiple times in my journey where I had to wait on the Lord.
Waiting will constantly challenge us. It’s not a fun process, but it is consistent with Christ’s promise to make all who follow Him.
A picture of a step-by-step journey from my current realities to my expected end has always helped me when I face challenging waiting seasons.
An Important Mindshift
On the other side of every waiting season is an expected end for all Jesus’ followers who choose to wait on Him.
In a couple of instances, the ends we desire seem elusive.
Our desired ends seem elusive (at least based on my experiences) because we long for and expect the best possible outcome, which isn't out of place.
After enduring many troubles in any aspect of life, we hope for reprieve and restoration that will make the trials we face much more manageable if not eliminated.
Since we have waited on the Lord, we want our reward for waiting to be the strength and capacity to soar without the need to run or walk.
Walk, then Run, then Fly, then Soar.
Even in fulfilling His promise to deliver an expected end, God provides only the grace needed for every season.
If we’ve never learned to walk consistently with Him into His victory for us and not become tired of walking, He won’t provide grace for speed.
Where we haven't gained the capacity to run and not need rest towards everything He has made available to us in Christ, He won’t provide grace for flight.
If we’ve never learned the art and act of successful lift-off after building momentum with walking and running with God’s Spirit, He won’t provide grace to soar.
He reserves the grace to soar for only His followers and witnesses who have learned through faith and patience to unlock their divine inheritances in Christ (Hebrews 6:12, EXB).
When we have learned to consistently wait on the Lord through thick and thin, imitating the host of God’s partners who have gone before us and still partner with God in our days, we encounter His grace to soar into the ends we know He promised us.
However, these ends follow God’s process: He delivers the capacity first to walk, then run, then fly (Isaiah 40:31 is silent on this, but we know from the understanding of how eagles soar that they must attain flight first, then they soar) before enabling us to soar.
We will reach our expected ends. This is God’s promise, and He keeps His promises. However, we will reach our ends while still waiting on the Lord for more.
Conclusion
We know there is always more in God for us.
That's why we wait for more grace for speed after being able to consistently walk with God’s Spirit without getting tired.
Then we wait for more extraordinary grace for flight and more for grace to soar into all God has provided us in Christ.
Even when we get soaring grace at one level, we begin to understand that that is walking grace at another level, and so we still require faith and patience to gain more speed at this new level.
It’s an unending journey of growing in faith and patience for all who choose to follow and witness Christ. We continue on this journey till we see Christ face to face.
I pray that we all find in Christ the grace to wait on Him in this constant process of moving us from one level of glory to another, in Jesus’ name. Amen!
Yours faithfully,
John, a #DailyFollower.
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