Habakkuk’s Prayer (Day 5)

Read Habakkuk 3:1-19
 
   Habakkuk praised God for answering his questions. Evil will not triumph forever; God is in control, and he can be completely trusted to vindicate those who are faithful to Him. We must patiently wait for Him to act. 
   Habakkuk knew that God was going to discipline the people of Judah and that it wasn’t going to be a pleasant experience. But Habakkuk accepted God’s will, asking for help and mercy. Habakkuk did not ask to escape the discipline, but he accepted the truth that Judah needed to learn a lesson. God still disciplines in love to bring His children back to Him (Hebrews 12). Accept God’s discipline gladly, and ask Him to help you change. 
 
   God will give His followers strength and confidence in difficult times. They will run surefooted as a deer across rough and dangerous terrain. At the proper time, God will bring about His justice and completely rid the world of evil. In the meantime, God’s people need to live in the strength of His Spirit, confident in His ultimate victory over evil. 
 
   Habakkuk had asked God why evil people prosper while the righteous suffer. God’s answer: They don’t, not in the long run. Habakkuk saw his own limitations in contrast to God’s unlimited power and control of all the world’s events. God is alive and in control of the world and its events. We cannot see all that God will do. But we can be assured that He is God and will do what is right. Knowing this can give us confidence and hope in a confusing world. 
 
   Crop failure and the death of animals would devastate Judah. But Habakkuk affirmed that even in the times of starvation and loss, he would still rejoice in the Lord. Habakkuk’s feelings were not controlled by the events around him but by faith in God’s ability to give him strength. When nothing makes sense, and when troubles seem more than you can bear, remember that God gives strength. Take your eyes off your difficulties and look to God.