I love the book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk’s name itself means “embrace.” It’s three chapters of awesomeness. The subheadings are even better, chronicling which complaint Habakkuk is on, followed by the Lord’s response. Here’s proof that we ‘need to put on a face for God when we talk to Him; we can come as we are and God is perfectly patient and not easily offended.
“How long, O Lord, must I call for help, and you do not listen? I cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ Yet you do not save. Why do you make me look upon injustice, and cause me to look on wickedness?” (Hab 1:1-3). Two questions: how long and why? Habakkuk has been crying to God for help and, apparently, for a long time. Now, he’s fed up. He looks at the injustice around him and asks God, “Where are you?”
“Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.”
I think we can all admit that we have asked that question before when we look injustice in the world today. We all ask, “God, where are you?” There are some who are atheists for that very reason. There are awful things happening, and as they see it, if God existed why doesnt He do something about it? We all know the darkness in this world is not just surface level. The darkness goes to a level that disturbs us all - the Holocaust where Jews were mass murdered in cruel and unusual ways, the modern-day slave trade where women and children are sold into an industry that is rape for profit, the high number of children and teens who die in car accidents or from cancer.
People look at the depth of darkness there is in the world and say, “If God is so loving and good, why doesn’t He do something?” And even Christians ask, “God, you care, so where are you? I know you hate evil and suffering. So why won’t you do something?” On a personal level, I find myself asking this question as well. “God, I know you are for healing in the lives of people. So why won’t you do something?” or “God, I know you hate sex trafficking and slavery. And I know your heart is for this ministry that helps them. So why does it seem like the Enemy has the upper hand? Why is there no victory against the Enemy?”
“Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.” Hab 1:5
God proceeds to unfold His plan before Habakkuk: the whole nation of Israel is about to be conquered by a nation more wicked and unjust than they are. Essentially, God is going to let something really bad happen to shake up Israel so they will abandon their wicked and unjust ways. Habakukk is left bewildered and confused by this plan. He proceeds to question the wisdom of God’s plan:
“LORD, are you not from everlasting?
My God, my Holy One, you will never die.
You, LORD, have appointed them to execute judgment;
you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish.
Your eyes are too pure to look on evil;
you cannot tolerate wrongdoing.
Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” Hab 1:12-13
Habakkuk knows God’s character. And what God has spoken seems very inconsistent with who He is. Habakkuk essentially says, “God, you hate evil. Why would you let a more wicked nation conquer us to stop our own wickedness? How is that better? How is that going to solve the problem? They are more evil than we are!”
“I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.” Hab 2:1
In other words, Habakkuk waits for God’s response. And more than this, he is anticipating a rebuke.
“See, the enemy is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faith…Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you.
For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them” Hab 2:4, 8
God gently responds and reveals that He will set things right in His time. He will let the Babylonians, who conquer Israel, be conquered. But His people, in light of what He has revealed, are to live by faith and to wait on His timing to set all things right.
Habakkuk finally understands. Though God hasn’t given him the full answer, he is satisfied. Habakkuk complained to God and was honest with God about how he felt. He took to God his doubts and questions. It’s okay to have questions and doubts. It doesn’t make you a bad Christian. It’s what you do with the questions and the doubts that matters. You can find ways to vent it, but eventually you have to vent it to God Himself. If you never let God know how you feel, He still knows it.
So what good does stuffing and ignoring all those feelings do? But if you find the courage to take them to God and struggle and wrestle with Him like Jacob (Gen 32:22-31) I believe God will wrestle back. And He will work it out, one way or another. He may not tell you why bad things have happened or are happening. But I believe He will answer your feelings and complaint.
“Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.” Hab 3:17-19
Habakkuk decides to wait patiently. Though hard times are coming he knows his strength is in the Lord. He will live by faith, knowing that one day God will set everything right.
