Hab.3:18
Trusting God in uncertain times
Habakkuk’s world was proceeding from bad to worse and he had no idea just how horrible it would become. We can certainly relate to that.
God tells him to sit back and watch what He is about to do. God says He is doing something in his days. He is raising up the Chaldeans. What? That’s the answer? We often want our fixes now.
Daniel 9:24-27. This is a difficult passage. Some of it we get, the coming sacrifice of the Messiah, for instance. What this tells us is that God is thinking centuries ahead, not days or months. Based upon that, when we pray about how difficult things are now, we need to remember God works on a far more difficult and lengthy plan. Everything is not about us. Two points:
1. I can’t wait until all of this unfolds. (Not really). Look at Hab. 3:16-19. I must wait quietly for the day of distress he says. We cannot predict what the future holds for us. And God isn’t going to tell us like He told Habakkuk. And He doesn’t need to. Our situation isn’t as bad as Habakkuk’s. How did he respond? Read verses 17-19. As bad as things were going to get, no food, no produce, no cattle, he tells them “yet I” will exult in the Lord. I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength.
2. Yet I… three things in those 3 words. First, a person faced with real obstacles to overcome. Second, I am in total control of my response to the situation. And third, I will stay closely connected to and focused on exulting in the only one who can actually see me through, who is greater than what I face, who can bring me glory, victory.
Psalm 42:11; 119:51; 119:109-110; 119:141; 119:157 – there is despair and opposition in these verses. “Yet I” follows. Yet I will keep praising my God. He says in 42:11. And similar sentiments in each of the other verses mentioned – hope in God and yielding in obedience. We will face difficult times in our lives. We must be ready to say “yet I” when those times to come, a commitment to faith – trust, worship, godliness, discipleship and obedience in every area of my life. A commitment to faith which remains steady.
Examples.
1. I will still pursue loving all people, even my enemies, praying for them. Is that always easy? No. Will the conversations always be pleasant? No.
2. I will still pursue hating every vestige of immorality, injustice, divisiveness, hating all that God hates.
3. I will still set myself to imitation, despite my inadequacies and moments of failure. I will determine to mold myself continually after the image of Christ.
How real is God to you….When the world goes dark, when a relationship is tanking, when your health is in tatters, when people you love suffer, when finances tumbles, when brethren are in conflict or disappoint, when there are more questions than answers?
Maybe Habakkuk got his answers from Psalm 18:18-19; 30-36. Read those.
Yet I will exult in the God of my salvation and He will make me walk on my high places.
