I will climb up to my watchtower
and stand at my guard post.
There I will wait to see what the Lord says
and how he will answer my complaint. Habakkuk 2:1 (NLT)
Habakkuk was being honest with God. In his conversation he says “Don’t you see what is happening here? Why aren’t you doing something!? Your people are a mess. We need help.” God says, “I am helping. I’m sending your enemies to destroy your land.” Habakkuk’s response was “Excuse me? Why would you do that? They are worse than we are!”
After Habakkuk tells God he thinks this is a bad idea, he waits. He basically says “I don’t know what you are doing but I’m going to stand here and wait for your response.”
When what God is doing doesn’t make sense, when it seems like he is leading you in the wrong direction, what is your response? Do you decide that he’s taking too long to do something? Do you make your own plans and move out without him? Or do you wait to see what he says?
As Habakkuk waited, God responded and his response produced praise. Habakkuk basically says, I’ve heard about you. And I remember all that you can do and I remember who you are. At the end he says this:
Fig trees may not grow figs,
and there may be no grapes on the vines.
There may be no olives growing
and no food growing in the fields.
There may be no sheep in the pens
and no cattle in the barns.
But I will still be glad in the Lord;
I will rejoice in God my Savior.
The Lord God is my strength.
He makes me like a deer that does not stumble
so I can walk on the steep mountains. v 17-19 (NCV)
In summary, no matter what happens, no matter how bad it looks, you are my strength. In you I will be glad.
As you face this week, I pray you, like Habakkuk, do the same.