“When you look at the world, what is it that you see? People find all kinds of things, that bring them to their knees,” sang Bono from U2 as he addresses the difficulty of people living in a world full of injustice, confusion, and suffering — where at times God seems silent. In the Bible, the prophet, Habakkuk, had a conversation with God about the plight of his people, the Israelites, who were about to be conquered by the warring Babylonians. He knew the nation needed a course correction, but why would God allow a hell-bent group to be the very ones who would be an instrument of justice?
Habakkuk’s dialogue with God hits a chord of desperation as he cries out, “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? (1:2) and “Why are you silent?” (1:13). God allows the prophet to wrestle with His timing and to find hope in the gap between promise and fulfillment. Habakkuk sorts his thoughts and in raw honesty he brings his struggles to God.
God imparts an encouraging answer to him: “the righteous person will live by faith” (2:4). God declares how evil will fail and “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (2:14). Habakkuk concludes that nothing can stand up against the glory of God and the only response is to “let all the earth be silent before him” (2:20). He then writes a song of praise about God as he remembers what God has done already and how God’s past work fuels his present faith. Habakkuk, while still waiting for God to intervene, chooses to trust in God as he announces, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior (3:18). He resolved to act to choose joy as he struggled to live out trusting faith when waiting on God’s timing of deliverance.
We all face challenges in life and trusting God allows one to see his faithfulness in history and your own story even through the most difficult times. But here is where it gets hard: the faith that is required is lived out in action by choosing to have joy in God, not in the circumstances you are facing. Even when everything is lost, this faith is made secure in knowing that God is with you and working even when you may not see it. Habakkuk cried out “Why, Lord?” and waited as he trusted and put faith in God. He chose to rejoice in Him, moving in confidence from why to worship.
We can follow the same journey — to be honest with God in prayer, to wait actively on His promises, to trust that His justice will prevail, to remember His faithfulness in both history and our own lives, and to choose joy in Him, no matter what. Then we can say through it all, “Yet, I will rejoice!”
Frank Alioto pastors Roots Family Church in Soldotna and serves as a chaplain in our community.
