When You Don’t Understand

This morning I read one of my favorite Old Testament prophets, Habakkuk.

As I was reading, it occurred to me that we here in the 21st century have a lot in common with Habakkuk.

Habakkuk lived in a time where justice had essentially disappeared, where violence and wickedness abounded.  Although the circumstances were different then, we certainly live in a world where there is much we don't understand, where it seems that the "bad guys" are always winning, where life doesn't make sense, where violence and wickedness are all too common.

What did Habakkuk do?  He had a talk with God about the things that were bothering him!  He asked questions.  

"O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?"  (Habakkuk 1:2 ESV)

And when Habakkuk asked questions, God answered!

"Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded.  For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.  For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans....."  (Habakkuk 1:5-6a ESV)

Habakkuk didn't really understand that answer.  Why would God raise up a wicked nation and allow them to prosper?  So he asked some more questions.  And then he said this:

"I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look to see what he will say to me."  (Habakkuk 2:1 ESV)

As God answers Habakkuk and explains to him what is about to happen, there are two verses that I believe we can hold on to in our own "Habakkuk" situations, in the times when we don't understand what God is doing.

"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters that cover the sea......the LORD is in his holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him."  (Habakkuk 2:14, 20 ESV)

Just like Habakkuk, you and I are often faced with situations we don't understand.  Life can be hard!  And we often have more questions than answers.  Especially on days like yesterday, with yet another school shooting.

In those times, I believe it's important to follow Habakkuk's example.  To have a conversation with God.  Ask questions.  And then continue to follow Habakkuk's example and wait to see how God will answer.  Through it all, we hold on to the truth that ultimately God's purposes will be fulfilled, eventually the earth will be filled with His glory, and that God is in control.  He is in His holy temple.  He is in charge.  Nothing that happens to you or to me comes as a surprise to Him.

What does all that have to do with you and me on a practical level?  We may not have Chaldeans at the gate of the city.  But we do live in a world that is a bit out of kilter, don't we?  Looking at the big picture, we find ourselves in a world that is turning its back on God and His Word.  We live in a country where we are slowly but surely finding our freedoms eroded.  We live in a world where violence abounds. And we don't like it very much!

But bring the question closer to home. We have questions about so many things. Why do some people die so young? Why do people kill innocent children? 

Maybe you are in the middle of a really hard life situation.  Financial stress.  Problems at your job.  Family stresses.  Illness.  Or if it isn't you, it's someone you know, someone you love, who is having a really hard time.

Sometimes life just doesn't make sense, does it?

It only makes sense when we follow Habakkuk's example and trust God through every situation.  Even the situations we can't explain.  The ones that defy logic.  Through the good times and the bad times and through all the times in between.  Habakkuk trusted God.  Even when life didn't make sense.  

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD. I will take joy in the God of my salvation.  GOD, the Lord, is my strength."  (Habakkuk 3:12-13 ESV)

What Habakkuk was saying was this:  even if my crops fail, even if I have no food, even if I lose everything, even then I will rejoice in the Lord.

Put in 21st century terms, he would be saying:  even if my investments tank, even if I have no money in the bank, even if I lose my job, even if I get transferred to a job I don't want or a city I don't want to live in, even if I get really sick and I have no insurance, even if I don't have any money to take my family on a vacation or buy a bigger house or go out to dinner, even if there's no money in the bank and no food in the refrigerator and all my credit cards are maxed out, even if nothing in life makes any sense,  even then I will rejoice in the Lord.  No matter what, even then I will rejoice in the Lord.

When we don't understand what is going on in our world, there's a lot we can learn from Habakkuk. We can follow Habakkuk's example. Talk to God about whatever the situation is. Ask Him questions. Wait to see how He answers. And through it all, trust Him. 



 "When you don't understand,
When you don't see His plan,
When you can't trace His hand,
Trust His heart."
(-Babbie Mason)