We Are All Waiting
We are all waiting. On something. On someone. My wait usually starts with great expectations but over time shifts to what seems like endless anxiety. Unless… Unless I remember who is in control. As much as I would like it to be me, it’s not. It is God. And as our need for him grows during times of waiting, there are lessons to learn.
Habakkuk’s story reminds us that while we wait, God is at work. On his knees before God, Habakkuk cries out with questions and complaints. God’s answer to the prophet is all too familiar in our trials. Wait. But there is more. God assures Habakkuk that his timing is perfect. Just “look,” God tells him and “watch.”
What exactly is he supposed to be looking and watching for? The answer is… the unbelievable. God tells Habakkuk that he wouldn’t believe what God was doing even if he told him. Wow. God is asking Habakkuk to live in great, unbelievable expectation of God’s work in a dying world. He wants him to acknowledge his power over darkness and know that the suffering of his people is temporary. But the details of what God is doing, they are yet to come.
God wants the same from us. He wants us to look and watch, with great expectation, for his unbelievable power over our situation. He wants us to wait, and trust him. He wants us to know that his timing is perfect even if we can’t see all that he is doing.
In a nutshell, Habakkuk seeks the Lord for answers with questions and complaints. Then God says, “watch and wait.” Not exactly what we like to hear when we are on our knees before God. So let’s look at a few truths we can learn from Habakkuk’s story.
We can bring our questions and complaints to God.
Questions and complaints. That’s plural my friends. Not only did Habakkuk complain once about the heartache and hurt he and his nation experienced, he went to God again, and again – seven questions that begin with “how long” and “why.” He even questions who God is and lastly, why the enemy is winning the battle.
We’ve heard it said, “don’t question God.” But God is interested in our struggles and in out doubts. He listens, and he gives answers. The answer to our why is not always clear, but it is always clarifying. God’s word and instruction to Habakkuk remind him of who God is and how he should respond in his situation. Stand watch, wait and give God the glory for what is about to happen.
Stand watch.
In the few short chapters of Habakkuk, God reveals just who is in control. God is not only in control, his plan is perfect, and if we are willing to wait on it, we will be “utterly amazed.”
“Look at the nations and watch, and be utterly amazed. For I am doing something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5
Just after God instructs Habakkuk to stand watch, Habakkuk replies “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.” Habakkuk 2:1 At God’s request, Habakkuk responds in obedience.
Things may look a little different to me and you as we may not always hear God clearly speaking to our heart, but we do find answers in his Word. Like Habakkuk, we too should stand watch and be ready for what God has to say. Remember, God has a plan and it is for our good (Romans 8:28). If we are truly watching, we can see glimpses of God’s work going on and we will stand in awe as we ready ourselves for the answers to our questions.
Wait for it.
We’ve all heard it, usually when we don’t want to – God’s timing is not our timing. But, God’s timing is perfect for our testing. When we wait on God, our faith is tested. And no doubt, our patience is tested too. God speaks to Habakkuk of an appointed time that will not prove false, meaning he really does have it under control.
“This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” Habakkuk 2:3
But how is something slow in coming, yet not delayed? It’s that feeling that what you are going through is never going to end, but when it does, you wouldn’t have it any other way. You can look back and see how God was at work in the details. It’s that “utter amazement” that only comes from faith in God. It proves to be worth the wait.
Give God the glory.
Habakkuk’s utter amazement was in God’s ultimate victory. His circumstances didn’t change but his understanding of God’s answers to his questions did. One day, he would see God’s chosen people, the Israelites, return to a loving God. In the meantime, God alone was his source of strength and his joy. Remember to lean on God for strength, and be joyful in the Savior, Jesus Christ. He will be your strength and steady your walk as you face the mountain before you.
“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 dear, he enables me to tread on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:18-19
The book of Habakkuk ends with a prayer giving glory to God for the work he has done and who he is. The prophet stands in awe of God’s deeds – he is utterly amazed. When we are in question of all that is going on around us, we can find comfort in this story of waiting. It’s a story of hope. Though there seems like there is little hope in all that is going on in the world, there is hope in God – nothing else.
Habakkuk’s story is found in the Old Testament. Just three chapters! I would love for you to read it along with me.
Just a note: This blog post is as much for me as it is for anyone reading it. Sometimes its really hard to articulate something so close to your heart in the moment. But I know God’s truth is trustworthy and our Lord is faithful. I hope and pray that you know him as King over your life. If not, he is waiting for you – just like he waited for the people in Habakkuk’s day to call on him. God never changes. He is the same God then as he is now. And his purpose? Though we may not understand, we can know that it is always for his Glory and always for our good. ~ Becky