Habakkuk: Rejoice in the Lord!

posted on September 04

Disappointment…outrage…bewilderment…devastation…heartache…Habakkuk’s gamut of emotions that he felt toward God upon learning the discipline God had chosen for the unfaithful Israelites that involved the hateful Babylonians.  Habakkuk, standing in defiance before our mighty God, shaking his fist, shouting, “How long, O God!!”…finally! my kind of man!  For I found myself in that same defiant stance toward God at the beginning of several deeply grievous life changing devastations in my life.  I was teeth gnashing mad and Habakkuk allowed me to confront God with my shattered life and not fear His rejection or rebuff. Like Habakkuk, I demanded answers from God as to why He allowed such total misery to beset His people.

…then, I read the rest of Habakkuk …and there found the balm and solace and answers that I so desperately needed.

This book became my source of comfort and renewed joy and hope.  From Habakkuk I learned I will never find answers, not to my satisfaction, to life’s deepest tragedies but, I do have choices…to completely truly trust God especially in the midst of annihilation…or not.

I choose to be like Habakkuk, my kind of man.  Everyday, I want his faith and trust and to honestly proclaim...
                   

 
Oh God, how long must we suffer?!  I don’t know. But Habakkuk has taught me to YET rejoice!! 

Read Habakkuk, my dear people, and be refreshed…it will do your soul (and fist) good.

Stay well, joy-filled and know how I love you,
Kim Eller
District Lay Leader