Habakkuk charged God with injustice on a national level in 1:4. Job is similar to Habakkuk except Job accused God with injustice on a personal level. Job lost his ten children in tragic deaths, his wealth, and his health. Job said God was wrong in Job 19:7.
Perhaps our struggle with God is more on Job’s level. Perhaps you have had these thoughts or even voiced these words: “Why doesn’t God get me a job?” or “Why doesn’t God get me a better job?” or “Why doesn’t God heal me?” or “Why doesn’t God save my husband?” or “Why doesn’t God turn my children around?” or “Why doesn’t God save my marriage?” or “Why doesn’t God make me happy?”
Remember the disciples in Mark 4:35-41. Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us pass over unto the other side.” But when they got in the boat and a sudden storm arose and Jesus was asleep, the disciples panicked and said, “Master, don’t you care that we are about to perish?” These disciples had Jesus in the boat with them. What were they thinking? That Jesus the eternal Son of God was going to drown to death? Jesus rebukes the storm and then His disciples: “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” In other words, “You can’t question my sovereignty, my deity, or my care for you and have faith in me at the same time.” Are you thinking, “How could the disciples think and say what they did with Jesus in the boat with them?” If you are a believer today, Jesus is in your heart not just your circumstance. “Christ in you the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
God answered Habakkuk in 1:5-11. In essence God told Habakkuk that He was concerned, involved, and had already determined to deal with the violence in Israel. God was already raising up the Babylonians to chastise God’s people. In 2:4, God says to Habakkuk what Jesus said to the fretful disciple: “The just shall live by faith.” In other words, you can’t bitterly question or accuse God and trust in God at the same time.
Jim Conway came to realize that as he faced his dilemma after his daughter Becki’s leg was amputated, he only had two choices. He could stay angry at God and live in despair or he could “let God be God, and somehow say, ‘I don’t know how all this fits together. I’m not even going to ask for the explanation. I’ve chosen to accept the fact that You are God and I’m the servant, instead of the other way around.’ And there I left it” (James Dobson. When God Doesn’t Make Sense. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 1993, 83-89).
You have two choices: One is not trust in God and allow bitterness, anger, and despair ruin your life. Or trust in God and His promises even if there are no answers in this life.
