How do we react to delayed or unanswered prayers? When you face a problem where you do not understand what God is doing, what do you do? Do you throw down your hand in resignation and say, “Oh, I’ve tried faith, and it doesn’t work,” or “I’ve tried God but that doesn’t work,” or, “I’ve tried prayer and it doesn’t work.” When you go via this route, all you are saying is that God is a liar, unreliable, a fraud and the Word of God has no basis.
Habakkuk in this passage, shows what we ought to do – get out on the watchtower (prayer), pour out our complaints and requests before Him, and wait to see what God is going to say. In other words, having made our ‘points’ before God, we must wait to observe the answers God gives by His word, His Spirit and providences. Habakkuk says he is going to wait and be expectant because he knows that God speaks and that He is never too busy to answer. God has never and will not disappoint the believing expectations of those who wait to hear what he will say unto them.
While waiting, I want to suggest what we can do using the acronym of ‘wait’:
W – Worship God for who He is, His faithfulness, past deeds in your lives. David said of God’s credibility, “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).
A – Acknowledge God as the Lord of your life, trusting in Him with all our hearts, believing he is able and wise to do what is best (Proverbs 3:6)
I – Keep inquiring from Him as to what to do. Don’t think your way through the situation, He is the answer to it (1 Chronicles 14:10 &14).
T – Be thankful even in the very situation you have found yourself. “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Are we responding as Habakkuk did, waiting expectantly for more complete understanding? While waiting, are we content to trust God, realizing he has the complete picture while ours is limited? Remember, Jesus lives and because He does, you can face your tomorrow with certainty.
