“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?”
~ Habakkuk 1:1-5
I am scrolling through an online newspaper right now. Almost every headline packs a punch of fear, confusion, terror, and hopelessness. There is the occasional feel-good story about an orphaned dog finding its forever family, but there is very little good news outside of that. One article is discussing the fate of the world as we battle a global pandemic. Another one shares graphic pictures of a Middle Eastern city in ruins after a thousand bombs fell from the sky. The last article was a doomsday prophecy about financial collapse, nuclear warheads, and political division.
“Why is this happening,” I mumble with my face buried in my hands. It’s like I am reading a depressing novel, but it’s just the daily news. There is sickness, natural disaster, and conflict on a global scale. What on earth is going on?
This was the same question that prophet Habakkuk confronted. Israel was the underdog in a violent war, people were fleeing their homeland, and countless lives were on the line. Habakkuk wanted some answers. His little book of arguments poses two questions as an opening statement. One, “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (Habakkuk 1:2). Second, he probes, “Why do you tolerate the treacherous?” (1:3)
Habakkuk’s words may be ancient, but his situation is timeless. He asked. God answered — sort of. A voice from heaven came to the prophet and said, “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” (1:5). After the initial interrogation, God invited him to look beyond the present circumstances. Were Habakkuk’s questions perfectly answered? No, not really. Yet, God’s response radiates hope. To sum it up, God says, “hope is on the horizon.”
When life looks devastating, keep investigating. Know that God has more in store. Prepare to be utterly amazed at God’s ultimate plan. Trust God because His purpose is far more clear through the rearview mirror than the windshield.
God is working in your life in ways that you won’t even believe. Be on the lookout for something amazing.