There’s No Need To Panic.

“This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” ­– Habakkuk 2:3 NLT

In chapter one, Habakkkuk shared a lot of his questions with God. Why? How long? Where are You? What are You doing? When are You going to act? Are You going to let the wicked get away with this?

Now, in chapter two, God responds. And the first thing He does is remind Habakkuk that His plan is future-oriented. It may appear slow in coming, but Habakkuk is to remain patient, because regardless of how things appear, God will deal with all of these questions in His perfect timing. From God’s perspective, there is no delay. The problem is, we don’t don’t know what God knows and we can’t see what God sees. We have a limited perspective and tend to view things from our point of view. What appears to be a delay is really just part of God’s plan. What seems to be a non-answer from God is just the right answer in a different form. Habakkuk saw injustice, greed, and evil of all kinds taking place around him and he wanted God to do something. He assumed that because nothing was happening to those who were guilty, God was not at work. That is always a wrong assumption, because God is ALWAYS at work. He is never NOT God. He doesn’t sleep, take a holiday break, or fail to do His job as the sovereign God of the universe. He is fully aware of all injustice and the sins of men. While it may look like He is oblivious to what is going on in the world, God sees it all and will deal with it all.

Chapter two ends with the statement, “But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him” (Habakkuk 2:20 NLT). It is a statement of sovereignty, power, and control. God is in heaven and He sits on His throne, reigning in holiness and righteousness. He has the perfect vantage point to view the wickedness of men and the injustice taking place in the world He has made. The presence of evil and sin is not an indication of God’s impotence, but His patience. He is willing to wait and deal with the evil in the world according to His original, divine timeline. Nothing will change that. He will not be rushed into implementing His plan a minute earlier. While we may want to see all the wrongs righted and the evil punished immediately, God knows what He is doing and He will do it at just the right time and in just the right way. God tells Habakkuk, “The righteous will live by their faithfulness to God” (Habukkuk 2:4b NLT). We will live in this world to the degree that we trust and rely on God and His faithfulness. We can endure the ups and downs of this life because God can be trusted. We have faith in His faithfulness. We trust in His trustworthiness. We rely on His unfailing reliability.

Father, living in this world it is so easy to panic because things don’t always seem to be going the way I think they should. Sometimes it appears as if You are nowhere to be found. It looks like You have lost control or just lost interest in the affairs of men. But never let me forget that You are the sovereign God of the universe and You are ALWAYS in control. I can trust You to do the right thing at just the right time because You are righteous, holy, and true. And You are always trustworthy. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org