God, You’re Gonna Do What?

Have you ever found yourself questioning God? Seriously, you were sure He was going to come through…answer your prayer…stop the pain…heal your friend or whatever…but He did not!

The answer you got was unacceptable…unreasonable or might have even felt unloving.

You felt like protesting but that felt like sacrilege. After all, how could you question God?

One of the Old Testament Minor Prophets named Habakkuk had a similar protest because of his confusion, horror and disbelief at God’s plan. This little book is rich with raw truth and real-life questions.

Complaining to God, Habakkuk asks what I am sure seemed like a logical question (1:1-4) only to get an answer (1:5-11) that must have taken his breath away. He was probably sure God was going to rescue His people and punish the wicked.  

What God says in reply to his prayer…well…it does not make sense, at least not to him.

Habakkuk is mortified at God’s plan to use the ungodly Chaldeans to answer his question and prayer. He protests (1:12-17) because he does not like the idea; and he even uses God’s own character as leverage in his counter argument. I would criticize him for this but I have done the same thing myself a time or two.

I have been there. 

I have struggled to see the big picture. 

I have faced the challenge of trying to justify tragedy. Just as Habakkuk (2:1), I have stood on my wall watching and waiting for answers. Some came. Some are still coming…and I assume some will have to wait until I see Jesus.

I think it is interesting that in the midst of all of this confusion is one of the most quoted verses of the Bible. This verse seems like it should be in another book – not one where the prophet is questioning God. However, I think it is appropriate because the Christian life is comprised of the tension between our questions and our faith.

So, Habakkuk declares (2:4) “the just shall life by faith.” I think Habakkuk still had questions but he had chosen to trust God.

The way to deal with tragedy is not to look for answers but to look at the character of God. For me, the character of God is not in question; it is the circumstances that don’t always make human sense.