Monday: Deep Faith
The prophet Habakkuk lived in a dark time. He saw with pain the apostasy of his people - their injustice, idolatry, and complacency. He also watched with horror as the ungodly Babylonian army prepared to sweep through his homeland. He neither liked nor understood God’s plan. Yet, he refused to leave God. Instead, he persevered in his conversation with the Almighty. He cried and listened until finally coming to the point of trusting - trusting not so much that God would do what he wanted, but that what God wanted was enough.
Although we may not be facing invading armies, Habakkuk’s story is sometimes our own. We see the hurt and injustice in the world. We feel the pain and distress in our own lives too. It is tempting to be lured from faith by the difficulty of our times. However, as we choose, like Habakkuk, to persevere with God in our pain and distress, we find Him in a deeper way. We are also freed to love God not for what He gives us, but for who He is to us. It is this shift in perspective which allows us, even in pain, to say with Habakkuk, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord” (v.18).
Read Habakkuk 3:16-19
Questions to consider:
What circumstances tempt you to doubt God? How can you continue to dialogue with God even in difficulty?
Prayer:
Jesus, life can be discouraging, disheartening, and even dangerous at times. However, your goodness is always greater than my own vision. Please help me to persevere in my relationship with you even in difficulty and to grow to a place where I can trust you regardless of my situation.
By Dr. Sarah Drivdahl, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences