When Everything Seems Hopeless

Habakkuk 3:2, 17-19

Just about everyone has gone through some difficult times in their lives.  Some people’s problems are more serious than others, but very few people have completely smooth sailing throughout their lives.  What about when the worst possible things happen, when the bottom suddenly drops out in our life? When we look about and there is nothing, nobody, no support system?  It is easy to sing praise when the bank account is full, the harvest is plentiful, and we’re blossoming in health. What about when life is the opposite? Can we sing God’s praises then?  This is what Habakkuk, our prophet from today’s Scripture passage, faced, along with his countrymen. Let’s look at his words as he faced hopelessness and despair.

Habakkuk was a contemporary of the more well-known prophet Jeremiah, and they both preached to the southern Kingdom of Judah during the mid-600’s BC.  God had revealed to His prophet the coming severe judgement of the nation and people of Judah at the hands of the Babylonians. The nation would be destroyed, many people would die, many others would be deported to a foreign country.  There would be destruction, famine, and drought. A complete economic collapse, with no resources or help to turn to. Habakkuk knew that this was God’s just judgment on His people who had consistently, for hundreds of years, turned from following His ways, going their own way and worshipping false gods.

God had shown Habakkuk what would happen.  He had heard God’s Words, and he was afraid (vs. 2).  Who wouldn’t be? However, did Habakkuk give up all hope, curl up in a ball and hide?  No. He prayed for God to show mercy. He knew that in this case God was judging the people for their sins.  He accepted God’s will, and asked for His help and mercy. Habakkuk knew that even when God has to act in judgment upon us, judging our sins, He still shows mercy.

As we continue in our passage we come to a hymn of praise to God.  Praise in the midst of devastation, in the midst of starvation and death.  Habakkuk was going to praise God no matter what happened. Verse 17 describes a time of complete economic collapse.  Crops have failed, the countryside has been destroyed with the coming enemy armies, the flocks and cattle killed and taken by the enemy.  Yet Habakkuk continued to trust God’s wisdom and faithfulness, no matter what happened.

How about us?  How do we react when we lose our job, the bank account is empty, and we have a family to feed and support?  Maybe a fire, flood, or tornado has destroyed your property, perhaps you or a loved one has a chronic or incurable illness.  Or maybe you come from a part of the world where war, famine, or drought has devastated the country. What do we do then, when God doesn’t respond the way we think?  Do we shake our fist in anger at heaven, or turn our backs on God? Do we have confidence in Jesus no matter what is happening in our life? Habakkuk trusted God, even when the Babylonians were going to destroy everything, and all he had was gone.  He would still trust God and depend upon His Word. Habakkuk knew that God was in control of whatever happened, and He could be completely trusted, even in the times of no food, starvation, and loss.

When our situation seems hopeless, we need to look past what we see to view the situation as God sees it.  We need to have faith in God, and glorify Him. God allows disappointments so that we can learn to rely on Him more fully, walking by faith, not by sight.  We should not let circumstances control us, and instead let Jesus control our life, knowing that God holds our future in His hands.

Habakkuk knew that God is in control of this world, and all that happens.  We don’t see everything, but God does, and He will do what is right. If we trust in Him, He will give us sure-footed confidence through our difficulties, just like the deer upon the high hills (vs. 19).  Trust in God, and He will give you songs in the night (Job 35:10).