Who’s in Control?
The prophet Habakkuk asked who was in control as he looked at all the chaos and injustice around him. He asked God this question as he watched the wickedness and oppression that ran unchecked throughout Judah. Like Habakkuk, these are questions I ask, as well.
Habakkuk couldn’t understand why the LORD, whom he absolutely believed was in control, wasn’t doing anything about the problem. Habakkuk believed that God was just, fair, and all-knowing.
Nevertheless, what the prophet believed, and what he saw happening, seemed like two totally different things.
After Habakkuk learned God planned to use the evil Babylonians as his solution to the problem, the prophet was really confused.
The Prophet Habakkuk
I’ve written about Habakkuk and his dilemma multiple times on my personal blog. Habakkuk is a book of the Old Testament I reread often.
Recently, I read a wonderful 30-day devotional on Habakkuk written by Jonathan Lamb with Elizabeth McQuoid. I highly recommend this book. In it, the authors brought up several excellent points to ponder.
Questions
At the beginning of Habakkuk, the prophet sees all the evil around him and questions why God wasn’t doing anything about it. Why wasn’t God intervening?
Lamb and McQuoid suggest that when we wonder why God doesn’t intervene or is silent, we need to resist Satan’s lies that it is because God isn’t interested.
I like that thought.
God’s silence does not mean he isn’t working behind the scenes on our behalf. Just 
look at how long it took David between the time Samuel anointed him as king, and when David actually took the throne.
But we wonder that sometimes, don’t we?
We wonder why God seems to have gone A.W.O.L. on us, when he really hasn’t.
Whenever we think that way, like Habakkuk, we need to focus on God’s character. We need to trust God. And something I find difficult; we need to be okay with not having all the answers to our whys.
God doesn’t change. What he said to Hannah, David, Habakkuk, Mary, Paul, and all the many others remains just as true for us today.
What Habakkuk Knew About God
In all of Habakkuk’s questioning, he needed to go back to what he knew for certain was true about God. So do we.
Remember, whatever happens, we belong to God. He is eternal. God’s purposes will be fulfilled.
These facts about God are woven all throughout the Bible. Nothing can thwart God’s plan for his people. It’s up to us to choose whether we’ll be a part of that plan or not. We decide for ourselves whether we will believe God or not. To trust him or not.
What God Showed Habakkuk
God didn’t give Habakkuk answers to all his questions. Instead, God gave the prophet what Habakkuk needed to know at that precise moment. Nothing more. Nothing less.
God does the same for us. He doesn’t answer all our questions. He gives us what we need at that precise moment. Nothing more. Nothing less.
This goes back to our trusting God is who he says he is. Trusting that God is ultimately in control. It means we’re okay with unanswered questions.
Strengthened
By the end of the Book of Habakkuk, the prophet laid out his complaints and questions before the LORD.
Then he heard from God and was instructed to wait and see what God would do.
Finally, Habakkuk realized that even if everything else was stripped away, God remained on his throne and is enough.
With that declaration, the man of God was strengthened to face whatever came next.
Your Turn
What about us? Do we have a faith that makes a difference? A faith that realizes we can only control what we can control, and leave the rest to God?
A faith that says Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17-18 NLT
Amen?
I wish you well.
Sandy 
Photos courtesy Unsplash.