Strength from the Lord

It's easy to get busy. It's easy to be tired. Honestly, guys, I get eight hours of sleep (well, on about three nights per week) and I am still exhausted. I wake up tired. Lately, I've really been clinging to verses in the Bible about God being our strength. However, as I was sitting in worship this morning (we were singing Everlasting God), I was struck by the fact that praying for strength is different than asking God to wake me up. 

Let me explain. Lately, I have been asking God to be my strength, because I know that I cannot do it on my own. In asking this, I have expected God to simply give me more energy, make me more alert, and help me to function on six hours of sleep. However, I think that I am asking for something different. In the song Everlasting God, there is a line that says:

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord,

we will wait upon the Lord,

we will wait upon the Lord.

As I was singing this, I was struck with the thought that strength, real strength, comes from waiting expectantly and patiently on the Lord. This "real strength" is not often going to come in the form of God making me more awake or helping me to function on less sleep. Could He easily do this? Absolutely! However, I now think that He is trying to teach me to patiently, consistently, and expectantly wait on Him and call on His Name. From this, my strength - inner, resilient strength - will come. 

Blessings,
Hannah