Crying Out to God

“O Lord, how long shall I cry for help and You will not hear? Or cry out to You of violence and You will not save?” (Habakkuk 1:2)

I think every one of us has felt this way at some point in our lives. Circumstances and problems overwhelm us and when we cry out to God, it seems our prayers are hitting the ceiling. Habakkuk felt this way in Bible times. He was looking around seeing such awful things going on. Some of what he speaks of sounds like it would have been difficult to even hear about. Sound familiar?

“Why do You show me iniquity and wrong and Yourself look upon or cause me to see perverseness and trouble? For destruction and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention rises.” (Habakkuk 1:3)  Sound familiar?

Some of the things we hear happening in our world today are just too horrendous to be believed. It seems people have become almost like animals with no regard for human life. Children are being hurt, and no one seems to be there to protect them. Money has become peoples’ god; they will sacrifice all good just to obtain more.

Habakkuk says, “the law is slackened and justice and a righteous sentence never go forth, for the (hostility of the) wicked surrounds the (uncompromisingly) righteous; therefore justice goes forth perverted.” (Habakkuk 1:4)   Sound familiar?

Justice and doing the right thing are becoming more and more scarce today, too. If you are a righteous person, the majority are against you and your godly ways. People fight to “win the right to justify their sin” instead of seeking justice and truth. Problem is that throughout history it can be clearly seen that when a nation is under God, it flourishes. When a nation leaves God, it is destroyed. Sometimes I think we need a history lesson to shake up our poor memories.

Proverbs 29:2 says that, “When the (uncompromisingly) righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked man rules, the people groan and sigh.” You wonder why it is best to have a godly man or woman in power? I want to rejoice- not groan and sigh.

God answers Habakkuk in 1:5, “Look around among the nations and see! And be astonished! Astounded! For I am putting into effect a work in your days (such) that you would not believe it if it were told you.”

When God answers, I expect to be astonished and astounded at what He can and will do. I will continue to wait on Him and expect astonishing answers to my prayers because He “is able to (carry out His purpose and) do superabundantly, far over and above all that we (dare) ask or think (infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams” (Ephesians 3:20).

Habakkuk felt that evil was winning. He was so tired of watching the evil ones prevail. But just like today, God did not let evil prevail for very long. He had a plan, and He put it into action. It may look today like evil is winning, but be encouraged. Just like in Habakkuk’s day, God is not going to tolerate evil for very long. He can’t; He’s a Holy God. The wisest thing to do is to turn your life over to Him now and let Him bless your life abundantly. Let Him astonish and astound you!