As a young Christian I heard many amazing stories of people whose problems were solved by God instantaneously and how God actively changed the world around them to open doors for their ministry. I believe many of these stories are true and God does work wonders to extend His Kingdom and Glorify Himself. However, as a rookie in my Christian walk I failed to understand that God does not always fix problems in a miraculous way.
In my own life experience there were several occasions when I felt that God was not paying any attention to some of my pleas or cries. Sometimes I doubted if God was listening to my prayers at all, and other times I wondered if I was not one of those ‘first class Christians’ whose prayers are answered miraculously most of the times, whose lives seem to be smooth and problem free. It was very frustrating to believe in a wonder working God who does not show up when I really wanted him to and rescue me out of my trouble.
It was very frustrating to believe in a wonder working God who does not show up when I really needed him to and rescue me out of my trouble.
I was one of those few Christians who always read their favorite Psalms, Proverbs, Gospels and other selected Bible passages. Obviously it took me a long time to get to Habakkuk (may be some of you young Christians are saying: Habakkuk, Who’s He? Welcome to my club!). It is a small book in the Old Testament but it has an incredible dialogue of the prophet Habakkuk with God. The book starts with some very honest questions, questions that are very down to earth and direct because the prophet was not sure if God was really doing his job. Sounds familiar but never expected a biblical prophet to struggle with such thoughts.
Habakkuk was not sure if God was really doing his job. Sounds familiar but never expected a biblical prophet to struggle with such thoughts.
Look at these questions: How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice…etc (1: 2, 3). When I first read these questions I was so relieved, not because it answered any of my questions, but because I felt that I was not alone in my struggles with the feelings that God is not fixing the problems on time or I should probably say in my schedule. Habakkuk felt that God was not doing anything, sounds familiar? I think many of us at one or the other point of our life feel that God is not doing much or not fixing the problems quick enough for us to see the difference. Well, God explains his plans for Israel; how he is going to use the enemies of Israel to purify Israel and then redeem Israel from them.
God’s plan was so overwhelming to the prophet that he actually ends this book with a praise song “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (3:17,18). His complaint to God was that he could not see God doing anything to rescue his nation, but in fact God was doing something more significant than just rescuing his nation from the enemies. He was actually purifying the nation and preparing the nation for greater purposes.
It’s amazing how often our perspective is so narrow that we are often just expecting God to do something for us and around us but fail to notice what God is doing within us. Please do not get me wrong, I do believe that God does change our circumstances and settings sometimes, but I strongly believe that God is on a bigger mission of changing us from inside out. So the next time you are frustrated that things are not changing or happening and are tempted to ask God how long, just pause and examine, may be you are looking at the wrong direction, may be God is changing you and your perspective. A man of God said “God never altered the robe of righteousness to fit a man; he always alters the man to fit the robe”.
“God never altered the robe of righteousness to fit a man; he always alters the man to fit the robe”.
– – Author: Rev. Francis Burgula – –
