A new worship song was released a few weeks ago that has been running on repeat on my Spotify account. The title of the song is Wait On You. It is a collaboration between Maverick City Music and Elevation Worship. The song is a masterful mix of musical styles, bringing together the best of African American church choirs, modern contemporary worship bands, and the basic truth of Scripture. The composers of the song have done a wonderful job of putting the truth of Isaiah 40:31 into a memorable and compelling package. The verse reads, “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; they shall walk, and not faint.” It’s an encouraging verse for any time, but it is particularly poignant given the realities of the last year and change. There’s not been much for us to do besides wait and trust that God will bring us to better days.
But, what if breakthrough never comes? What if our sick family member isn’t healed? What if the fractured relationship isn’t restored? What if???
On the album, the song is followed by a reprise. The choir softly sings the bridge as the lead vocalists improvise between lines. There is one line in particular that made me cringe a little as I listened. It contains what I consider a contemporary Christian buzzword, BREAKTHROUGH. The vocalist sings, “The breakthrough is coming…” In popular church culture, breakthrough is often understood as the point at which God miraculously delivers us from our struggles and suffering. I understand the sentiment and see nothing wrong with praying and hoping for God to make things better. But, what if breakthrough never comes? What if our sick family member isn’t healed? What if the fractured relationship isn’t restored? What if???
The Bible is replete stories of heroes of the faith for whom that kind of breakthrough never came. I’m reminded of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians where he notes that he repeatedly pleaded with God to relieve him of his struggle and God says NO. I can’t help but think of Jesus’ original disciples. Church tradition tells us that of the eleven who remained faithful, ten of them were martyred (put to death) and one was boiled in oil and subsequently forced to live the rest of his days in exile. The definitive image for the Christian life is a cross, not a crown. Jesus warned those who would follow Him that sacrifice and self-denial were part of the deal. Yes, ultimate victory was achieved through His death, burial, and resurrection, but that doesn’t mean we are somehow exempt from the struggles and sorrows of this life. In fact, Jesus promised that in this world we will have trouble.
Sometimes our breakthrough is the completion of a struggle; Sometimes Our Breakthrough is simply seeing the struggle more clearly and receiving the strength to carry on.
Back to our “what if.” What if rather than seeking a change our situation, we sought a change in what we see? What if we stripped away the contemporary Christian veneer from our understanding of breakthrough? The word breakthrough means “a sudden, dramatic, and important discovery or development.” It implies a level of success, but more so a sense of greater understanding in a continued pursuit. Sometimes our breakthrough is the completion of a struggle; Sometimes our breakthrough is simply seeing the struggle more clearly and receiving the strength to carry on. The main point of Isaiah 40:31 is not necessarily final success, but the strength and the will to endure through the struggle through the power and presence of God with/for/in us. We like to focus on the grandeur of the soaring eagle, but Isaiah also notes that sometimes walking without passing out is the win.
I love the song mentioned above and, more so, I love the Bible verse that inspired it. While it does not assure us of our preferred outcome, it does assure us of the power to persevere through the struggles that come. The song also highlights this truth; “I’ve got a promise I can hold, in the middle of the struggle. God, if You said it, You’ll perform it. May not be how I want You to, but here’s what I’ll do. I’m gonna wait on You.” We may not know when our waiting will end, but we can trust that while we wait, as we look to the Lord, He will supply the strength to soar, to run, or maybe just enough to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
