Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. (Habakkuk 1:5)
Cancer steals the ones we love. Babies die before they get a chance to live. Police officers are charged with murder. People riot in the streets and burn cities. Christians are beheaded for their faith.
If God is a good God who wants good things for His children, why do bad things happen? Where is the justice?
When devastating circumstances rock our lives, even the most faithful among us can be shaken with doubt. Where is God? Why is He allowing this? Is He really good? Does He even exist?
God is not scared of our questions, and He is not surprised by our doubts.
Even the prophet Habakkuk had doubts and questions for God. In Habakkuk 1:1-4, surrounded by violence, injustice, wrongdoing, destruction, strife and conflict, Habakkuk cries out to God, “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save?” (Habakkuk 1:2).
The Lord doesn’t condemn him for asking. He answers and gives him hope. God explains to Habakkuk that He has a plan so amazing that Habakkuk wouldn’t even believe it (Habakkuk 1:5).
When devastating and confusing circumstances cause us to question God, we can be assured He cares, has a plan, and is working it all together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). We may not understand because we only see part of the story, but God sees the big picture and has a plan greater than anything we could imagine.
God is working in your life and in our world in ways that if He told us, we would not even believe.
For Your Reflection:
• What is one thing in your life, or our world, that causes you to doubt or question God?
• When was one time that you have seen God work a bad situation for good?
• What is one of God’s promises that you need to cling to today?
(NEWSPRING CHURCH)