First, the trials that we are facing should not draw us away from God, but to Him. If that’s the case, you may have asked yourself this question–why doesn’t God do something about that? Many of us are all struggling with that. Every day on the news there’s that. Some of us may be working for that, living with that, or have been diagnosed with that.
We all have this wrestling we are challenged with. And we are asking God to do something about that. It could be joblessness, relationships, financial struggles, etc.
We all have that.
If you are not struggling with “that“–evidently, you didn’t understand the question. Life is hard. And we will all have those moments when we are just wrestling with God about that.
When life is hard. Most of us experience a crisis in our beliefs when we hit a spiritual wall. And everything in us wants to believe in the goodness of God. However, what we see with our eyes doesn’t necessarily agree with what we know in our hearts.
Undoubtedly, there are times we’re wrestling with doubt and what we’ve always believe to be true. And in those moments, it is incredibly hard to maintain your faith. It can also be incredibly difficult to be strengthened by what you believe to be true.
But truth be told–we just can’t seem to get through the awful pain of that.
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Wondering Is Hard
In Habakkuk 1, the children of Israel have fallen into sin again as we’ve noted their struggle and issues through the bible. But they are concerned about what God is allowing to happen to them. So they go to Habakkuk to share their grief and asked him to consult God about His actions toward them.
Habakkuk understands God in general. But he also doesn’t get why He is doing what He’s doing. Also, in his eyes, things don’t seem just, fair or right.
So he asked God this question. “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?”
Haven’t we all been in a place where we’ve wondered what God is doing in our lives and in the lives around us?
We just have been bold enough to ask God a question.
Especially, if we know we’re doing everything we’re supposed to be doing for the kingdom. But, we’ll succumb to those feelings and remain in that place of wondering when we know that we need Him.
Wondering is a difficult place to be in as a Christian. Because the scriptures have been clear about God’s thoughts toward us. Furthermore, we have read what He’s said about us, and the plan He has for our lives. But yet, we wonder what is He doing when our lives don’t line up with what He has promised in His word about us.
Let’s take a moment and read this verse out loud.
John 5:17: But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”
When Is God Working?
You may be asking yourself–When is God working? Always. He is always working for you. He is doing something about that.
Nonetheless, when God seems distant and remote, and it seems like He is doing nothing at all. Trust. He is crafting a miracle specifically for you.
And Paul adds this:
Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose. God works for the good-for the good of those who love Him.
With everything you’re going through you may be asking, when is God working for my good?
In all things. All the time. Always! He is working for your good.
While we are wondering, there are often long stretches that don’t allow us to see what God is doing in our lives. Thus, those long stretches make us feel like nothing is going on around us. Better yet. It’s often hard to believe that He is working, especially for our good…but He is. He is developing our patience so we can wait on Him.
Waiting Is Really Hard
After Habakkuk asked God a question, He answered him. It just wasn’t the answer that he wanted to hear.
God assured Habakkuk that he was going to deliver His people. But in His timing.
But first, God was going to raise up their enemy Babylon to rule over them. He was sending His chosen people a message. He was no longer going to bless and protect them in sin.
In short, it was going to get worse before it got better.
Habakkuk agreed with God as he wrestled with his own faith. Habakkuk 2:1 says, “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 was overwhelmed with God’s answer. But he put himself in a position where he could hear from God. He stationed himself in a place where he could consider God’s perspective. Habakkuk worshipped God and, he knew God would speak to Him through his word.
Habakkuk was confident that God was not distant nor detached Himself from His creation.
Simply put, when we decide to get alone with God, it gives us a chance to see that from a different perspective. During our alone time with Him, we’re given that window of opportunity to listen to God’s word.
God is not mute
We just have to trust that God hears our voice. He will answer.
The problem is. God is willing to speak to anyone that will listen. We have to be willing and obedient to listen to Him even when we’re hurting. It isn’t easy to listen when we feel justice hasn’t yet been served. Or, when we feel like we’ve been mistreated and God should be doing something about that.
On the contrary, when we’re frustrated, we can’t run the risk of missing out on God’s voice when He speaks.
What a tragedy that would be.
Furthermore, if we’re expecting God to speak, we have to remove ourselves from all distractions and listen to what He is going to say about that.
When Habakkuk removed himself from his desires that’s when God spoke to him. Habakkuk 2:2-3: Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”
God finally convinces Habakkuk. I am going to do something.
You have to wait! That’s the hard part.
Holdfast! It’s Not God’s Timing
Some of you are waiting on some stuff:
- diagnosis
- relief from a financial crisis
- husband or wife
- repentance from somebody else
- children returning back to the faith
- will the depression ever leave
- getting the job promotion
- migraine headaches
- immigration status
As God has unction me, I promised He’s going to do something about that, but you have to wait. At the appointed time, He will allow His perfect will to be done. Continue to wait because He will deliver and respond to your circumstances.
He sees you.
The Hebrew word mow’ed means the unstoppable timing of God. It’s just like a woman having a baby when the time comes the baby is unstoppable. You can’t stop the arrival.
If it’s NOT God’s time, you can’t Force it. When it IS God’s time, you can’t STOP it.
Though it lingers, wait for it. It will surely come
God’s delays are not God’s denials, even when it feels like it. Just because you haven’t seen it. It doesn’t mean that God is not doing something about that. He just hasn’t let you in on it yet.
Unfortunately, waiting is the most difficult time for people to endure. Waiting is hard and it doesn’t feel good. For instance, we hate waiting in lines, at stoplights, on people that won’t speed up.
Man, oh man! That list of waits is endless.
We just hate waiting, but we have to believe it’s not a bad thing. God is developing something within us. We just don’t see the manifestation right now.
Nonetheless, waiting is another tool that God uses to draw us closer to Him. Waiting merely transforms us because it takes faith to trust that it’s working when the process is invisible. It also takes faith to believe that the solution is coming when the status is still unclear.
It’s like putting seeds in the ground. You have to just wait on its timing. You can’t make the seeds grow any faster. It’s a process.
God’s Appointed Time
God knew the wrong things are happening to the children of Israel and the enemy was running rampant in their life. But He wanted His children to know that the righteous lives by His faithfulness.
He also let Habakkuk know Babylon was not right in their ways toward them. But He couldn’t allow Israel to go unpunished for their sin and prideful ways.
It’s the same way with us. When we leave God’s presence and decide to do things our way. He can’t allow us to continue in our own ways. He’s got to do something about that.
In conclusion, while you’re waiting, don’t let your primary thoughts be about when is God going to do something. Let it be about His goodness.
That thing that’s going on in your life has nothing to do with God solving your problem. But it has everything to do with your faithfulness to Him.
It doesn’t matter whether God is going to do what He promised because righteous people don’t live by results. Righteous people don’t live by resolutions and outcomes. Righteous people live by faith.
Righteous people trust God even when it feels like we shouldn’t. Righteous people learn to trust God when amid their waiting, hurting, and doubting.
During your waiting, declare that God is good. Even when everything in you and around you is not.
Interpret Your Pain
Joseph was sold into slavery after his brothers did him wrong. He was even accused of a crime he did not commit and was placed into jail to die.
After 20 years of waiting, he had an opportunity to speak to his brothers again. Genesis 45:4: Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!” “And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”
Joseph did not allow that event (what happened) to decide how he was going to react to what happened. He was sent “to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”
So it’s not the event that determines the direction of your life. It’s not the diagnosis, the divorce, nor the depression. These things can’t determine the trajectory of your life. It’s your interpretation of the events.
Whatever is happening to you now, that thing is real. It’s happening. You can’t deny that. However, God is doing something with your life even when it feels like He’s not.
While you’re waiting, how are you going to interpret your pain?
God has chosen you for this.
God is giving you an opportunity to interpret something differently. Be assured that God is doing something about that.
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