Are We There Yet?

“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.”  

— Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

"Are We There Yet?" Janice and I heard that question more times than we could count as we drove from Massachusetts to the Midwest when Kirk and Jordan were younger. Despite the Nintendo Game Boys, Harry Potter books on CD, and travel games, their patience eventually wore thin. The anticipation of seeing family they hadn’t visited in a year made the journey feel endless. And yet, looking back, the boys recall those road trips now with warmth and laughter.

Their question echoes a deeper one many of us carry—not just on road trips, but in life’s long seasons of waiting.

We’ve all been there. Waiting stretches us. Whether it’s a long drive, a slow-moving line, or a prayer that seems unanswered, we grow weary. We ask God, “Are We There Yet?”—not just with our lips, but with our hearts. The waiting can feel like Israel’s wandering in the desert.

But even in the wilderness, God was present guiding by cloud and fire, providing manna, shaping a people. Waiting, in scripture, is often the place where faith is formed.

Isaiah reminds us that waiting on the Lord isn’t passive—it’s a posture of trust. When we place our hope in God, we’re not left to languish. We’re lifted. Strength is renewed. Not just enough to get by, but enough to soar.

Other sacred scriptures echo this promise:

• “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” — Galatians 6:9 (NIV)  

• “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” — Romans 12:12 (NIV)

• “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.” — Lamentations 3:25 (NIV)

These verses remind us that hope is not wishful thinking—it’s a spiritual discipline, a grace-filled response to delay and difficulty.

God doesn’t rush us through the journey. He walks with us, strengthens us, and sometimes—when we least expect it—gives us wings. And when the answers come, we may find ourselves looking back with gratitude, not just for the destination, but for the road that shaped us.

In Wesleyan theology, grace meets us in every stage of the journey—before we ask, while we wait, and when we rise. The Spirit renews us not only for arrival, but for faithful walking.

Gracious Lord, thank you for hearing our prayers—even when the answers take time. We confess that waiting can wear us down. We grow impatient, discouraged, and sometimes forget your promises. But you are faithful. You renew our strength when we turn to you. You give us not just enough to endure, but more than enough to rise. Thank you for your compassion, your presence, and your love that never tires. Amen.

Peace & Grace,

Pastor Tim