Praying At The CrossroadsSample

The Prayer of Habakkuk  

When we love people, we want to spend time with them. When we’re struggling, we want to talk with the one we love and trust most. If we love and trust God most, prayer will be our natural response when we’re struggling to understand difficult circumstances. During such circumstances many people talk about God, but they don’t talk with Him. Talking with God at such times involves honestly telling Him our feelings, listening to Him speak to us from Scripture, and obediently responding to His Word. Through such a process we may not receive definitive explanations of our circumstances, but we’ll know God and His ways better.

Observing Habakkuk’s honest struggle and response should help us see that we can approach God and communicate with Him during difficult circumstances. Though at times we’re tempted to run away from God during these times, Habakkuk shows us that God can always be trusted.

The Book of Habakkuk demonstrates that God wants us to come to Him in prayer even when we have questions and frustrations. Though Habakkuk questioned, he kept talking with God. As a result, he gained spiritual strength and grew in his knowledge of and trust in God.

In the Bible, people like Jeremiah and Job questioned God’s justice in allowing them to suffer. Habakkuk questioned God’s justice in judging sinful Judah by pointing out the greater sins of Babylon. But even in their questioning, each man continued to talk with God. They didn’t complain about God; they complained to God.

In our walk with God we can be honest with Him. When we question His ways, He knows, so why not talk with Him about what’s in our hearts? Going to God with our thoughts, even when we’re doubting, reminds us that we’re children of God and dependent on Him.