Focal Passages: Habakkuk 1:1-6, 12-13; 2:1-4
Have you ever noticed that the most common objection to God isn’t centered on God’s existence, but rather God’s goodness?
If God exists, the age-old argument goes, why are there addicted men, hungry children or abused wives? “Because God is obviously not doing anything about the evil in the world,” some say, “He must not actually exist.” Others say, “If He does exist and yet allows evil and suffering, then what kind of God is He anyhow?”
These are common objections. Even the prophet Habakkuk questioned God’s power to stop evil and correct the injustice he witnessed around him.
Where are you, God? Why are you letting this happen? Why aren’t you doing anything? How many of us have prayed such painful, desperate prayers, too?
God is not threatened by our questions. We can come before Him in prayer, search Scripture, and ask Him about what we don’t understand. But sometimes God answers our hard questions with a difficult answer: “Just trust me.”
God doesn’t fully explain Himself to Habakkuk; He doesn’t need to. But He does reassure the prophet of His sovereign purpose and goodness. God will bring about His purposes in His timing and by His own ways.
We may not always understand why God allows certain things to happen. We don’t always need to understand. We need to learn how to trust God when we don’t understand.
If you read through Habakkuk’s prayer at the end of the book, you’ll notice something important: He begins listing what God had done and ends His book worshipping God for His character and strength.
God was active all along, but not in the way Habakkuk expected. We don’t always need to know why things happen. What we do need to know is what God has revealed in His Word – His character. God is good and sovereign and active in the world, whether we recognize His work or not. He will accomplish His plans and right every wrong in His perfect timing. We can trust Him.