Finding Justice, Faith, and Purpose in Troubled Times
Introduction: The Cry for Holiness
Have you ever looked at the world around you and wondered, “Why is there so much injustice and wrong?” If so, you’re not alone. Centuries ago, a prophet named Habakkuk cried out to God with the same questions. Habakkuk’s honest conversation with God is in the book that bears his name. It covers Habakkuk 1:2–2:5. It invites us to wrestle with the need for holiness in our own lives. It also addresses society as a whole. In times of confusion and trouble, his story reminds us of something important. The pursuit of holiness isn’t just a religious ideal. It’s a necessity for justice, faith, and hope.
Habakkuk’s Lament: Injustice and Spiritual Decay
Habakkuk lived in a time much like ours. He looked around and saw violence, injustice, and spiritual decay. The people had turned away from what was right, and the law that was meant to guide them seemed powerless. Habakkuk’s heart broke as he saw the suffering of the innocent and the triumph of the wicked. His lament was raw and real: “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). This cry echoes the pain of anyone who has ever longed for a better world. It is a world marked by truth, compassion, and holiness.
God’s Astonishing Response: Justice in Unexpected Ways
God’s answer to Habakkuk was surprising. Instead of an immediate fix, God revealed that He would use the Chaldeans (Babylonians)—a ruthless and powerful nation—to bring judgment. This answer was hard for Habakkuk to understand. How God use a people even more violent than his own to deal with the problem of injustice? God’s ways often seem mysterious, and His solutions challenge our sense of what is fair. Yet, in the midst of confusion, God was still working for justice. He reminded Habakkuk that evil would not have the last word, and those who trusted God would ultimately be vindicated.
The Role of Torah: Foundation for Justice
At the heart of Habakkuk’s struggle was the question of God’s law—the Torah. The Torah wasn’t just a set of ancient rules. It was (and remains) a foundation for just and holy living. When the people ignored or distorted God’s instructions, justice suffered, and society unraveled. Habakkuk said, “The law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted” (Habakkuk 1:4). In other words, when the standard of holiness fades, injustice grows. God’s law serves as a guide to what is good, fair, and loving—a path toward a brighter community.
Holiness and the Character of God
Why is holiness so important? Because it reflects who God is. God’s character is pure, just, and loving. Even when His ways are hard for us to grasp, His motives are always good. The tension Habakkuk felt was between what he saw and what he believed about God. It shows us that holiness isn’t about perfection or rule-obeying. Instead, it is about aligning our lives with God’s heart. To pursue holiness is to seek to be like God: compassionate, truthful, and just, even when it’s difficult.
Faithful Waiting: Living by Faith
When answers don’t come quickly, what do we do? God told Habakkuk, “The righteous will live by their faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). This isn’t just an instruction to be patient. It’s a call to trust God’s goodness. We must keep doing what is right, even when the world feels upside down. Living by faith means believing that God is still at work. It means trusting that justice will come. Additionally, it means that our efforts to pursue holiness matter. It’s about holding on to hope and refusing to let cynicism win.
Contemporary Relevance: Holiness in Today’s World
Habakkuk’s questions are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. We see violence, injustice, and spiritual decay in our own time. The temptation is to give up or to compromise on what is right. But Habakkuk’s dialogue with God calls us to something higher. Holiness is not outdated—it’s desperately needed for the healing of our families, communities, and world. When we make God’s justice, compassion, and truth the foundation of our lives, we become agents of hope and change.
Conclusion: The Enduring Call to Holiness
The story of Habakkuk reminds us that the cry for holiness is timeless. Even when we don’t understand God’s ways, we are invited to trust. We are also invited to wait faithfully and live out God’s character in our daily lives. Holiness is not about separation from the world, but about engaging it with love, courage, and integrity. Let’s answer the enduring call to holiness. We should believe that, with God, justice and hope are possible. This holds true even in the most troubled times.
Minister A Francine Green
November 2025
afrancinegreen.com 