What Trees Can Teach Us About God and His Kingdom — Part TwoParaugs

Trusting God, even in difficult times

Habakkuk was a prophet, and he had no easy task. He saw his people’s moral and religious downfall, and this disturbed him deeply. But he is even more shocked when God responds that He will use other nations to judge his faithless people. Habakkuk doesn’t understand what God is doing: “Why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?” (Habakkuk 1:13, ESV). And when God answers, the prophet is utterly shaken. “O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound” (Habakkuk 3:1 and 16, ESV).

And yet, Habakkuk trusts God. He says he will quietly wait for the Lord to intervene. He knows that God’s judgments over his people will be serious and that he himself will have to suffer the consequences, too. If the trees and plants don’t bear fruit, there won’t be enough food. If God takes away his blessing, people will suffer from a famine. But Habakkuk nevertheless sings that he “will rejoice in the Lord” (Habakkuk 3:18).

We see the same reaction in Psalm 4. The poet, David, is going through a difficult time, and he cries out to God. But he does not utterly despair. He urges his readers—and himself—to “put your trust in the Lord” (Psalm 4:5, ESV). For, he knows from experience, the Lord gives more joy in your heart than any earthly blessings could ever do.

Habakkuk and David are like children who trust their father: they don’t understand all that God is doing; sometimes they are suffering, and yet they are assured that God is gracious and righteous.

Do you have such a relationship with the Lord?