Explained for Everyday Readers
Introduction
Are you ever troubled by all the pain and injustice you see in the world? If so, you’re in good company. In the Bible, the prophet Habakkuk faced these very questions when God told him that the Babylonians would take over his land and bring suffering to His people. This led Habakkuk to ask the same honest questions many of us do today:
· If God is good and in control, why does He allow evil and suffering?
· Why do terrible things like starvation, murder, and torture happen if God cares?
People still believe in God’s goodness and power, but it can be hard to make sense of things when the world seems so full of wrong. Habakkuk struggled with this, too.
Habakkuk’s Approach to the Problem
Instead of accusing God or walking away, Habakkuk shows us a wise way to deal with confusion and hardship. He didn’t expect quick answers. Instead, he took a step-by-step approach that anyone can follow:
1. Affirm What You Know About God
Habakkuk started by reminding himself—and us—of the truth about God’s character. He declared:
· God is eternal. He has always existed and always will.
· God is holy and perfect. He never makes mistakes.
· God is faithful and keeps His promises. He won’t abandon His people, even when things look bad.
Because of this, Habakkuk believed that the Babylonians wouldn’t destroy God’s people completely. He called God his “Rock”—the One you can always rely on. Habakkuk teaches us to start with what we know about God before we try to figure out the things we don’t understand.
2. Apply What You Know to What You Don’t
Even though Habakkuk trusted God, he still had questions. He wondered:
· If God is so pure and just, how can He let bad people like the Babylonians get away with wrong?
· Why does God seem to let the wicked win and those who serve Him suffer?
Habakkuk described how Babylon would treat Judah like fish caught in a net, bragging about their victory and thanking their own false gods. He couldn’t make sense of why God would allow this.
3. Give Your Unsolved Problems to God
Habakkuk didn’t give up in his confusion. He kept seeking answers from God, without bitterness or cynicism. He said he would “stand at his watchpost”—in other words, he would wait and watch for God’s reply, trusting that God would answer at the right time.
Today, we often want quick fixes and instant answers. Habakkuk’s steady approach reminds us that real solutions sometimes take patience and faith.
What Can We Learn?
When life doesn’t make sense, start by remembering what is true about God’s character. Don’t be afraid to bring your questions to God honestly. Then, trust Him to answer in His timing—even if you don’t get all the details you want right away.
Habakkuk shows that it’s not wrong to question or to be puzzled by God’s ways. What matters most is how we respond: with faith, patience, and honesty.
Conclusion
Habakkuk’s story encourages us to bring our hardest questions to God, affirm what is true about Him, and patiently wait for His answers. Even in the middle of confusion and suffering, we can rely on God’s unchanging character and trust that He sees and knows all things—even the ones we don’t yet understand.
Minister A Francine Green
October 2025
afrancinegreen.com 