Hoping in the Lord is expecting that His promise of strength will help us to rise above life’s distractions and difficulties. “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.” (Is. 40:31) Do you believe God loves you and wants the best for you? Can you relax, confident that His purposes are right? Are you convinced that He has the power to control all of life–and your life as well? Though your faith may be struggling or weak, accept His provisions and care for you.

Basic dynamics of flight tell us that air flows over wings with lower pressure than air moving under the wing, and the difference in air pressure causes lift. A bird–or plane–with air moving over its wings is pulled up from above and pushed up from the pressure below. Thermal currents of heated air provide a boost in an eagle’s ability to soar with a minimum of effort. Sustained flapping uses twenty times more energy than soaring. So it’s not surprising that an eagle will spend as little as two minutes out of every hour in the air flapping. Soaring conserves energy.

Did you know that an eagle can detect when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? It will actually fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm.

Isn’t that remarkable? While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above. It does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm. What an extraordinary way to deal with adversity!

There is a wonderful lesson for God’s children to learn from the way an eagle approaches a storm. When the storms of life come upon us, we, too, can rise above them. We can lift ourselves above adversity by setting our minds and our hearts toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us any more than they overcome the eagle. We can allow God’s power to lift us above them.

Furthermore, the storms (or trials) of life can actually help us in our walk of faith. This is because they build something in us that will be a part of our lives forever. Notice what Paul wrote to the congregation at Corinth. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Here is something to think about. When the eagle flies above the storm, he is in a sense overcoming it. But he does so in a most interesting way. He uses the strength of the storm to rise above it.

That is one of the things God wants us to do. We can use adversity for gain. We need to learn from trials—to grow from the experience and be made better. We are to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3). Sometimes we should “escape” trials (1 Corinthians 10:13). Sometimes we should “flee” (Matthew 10:23). And at other times, trials are to be confronted and endured (2 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 12:7). We must face the things that challenge us and grow in virtue because of the challenge.

God is looking for overcomers. And He has a wonderful promise for them. “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21)

When you are in the midst of storms remember that familiar verse in Isaiah: those who hope in the Lord will rise up with wings like eagles–not flapping wings (on our own power), but wings that soar. Let life’s pressures from beneath us and the tug of Jesus from above lift us into the air to rise above the storms.

Sources:

  • Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
  • Bible Gateway
  • Mornings With Jesus 2017
  • To Soar Like Eagles