Category Archives: Answers

Advice, Affliction, Answers, Bible, Despair, Evil, Looking, Scripture

I CAN’T STAND IT!!!

HABAKKUK 1:3

“Why do You make me see disaster, and make me look at destitution? Yes, devastation and violence are before me; strife exists and contention arises.”

Too much of anything is well…too much. Whether that be good or bad! When I was going through my chemotherapy, there were days when all I could see was the misery. On the outside I put on a fairly, brave face. Most people would not have known I was struggling. But on the inside, I was throwing in the towel. I was done. All I felt was bad, with no end in sight.

Habakkuk’s eyes are full of disaster, destitution, devastation, violence, strife and contention. That would depress anyone. He is finding it hard to comprehend this. God had promised blessings to Israel, not curses. God was about to tell him why these things are here. But right now, at this moment, Habakkuk is simply continuing to cry out to God.

Do these words describe your life right now – disaster, destitution, devastation, violence, strife and contention? If so, may I be so bold as to say to you that your eyes are on the wrong thing. When we look and look at all the evil around us, we are mesmerized by it. We can’t stop looking away.

APPLICATION

It’s kind of like if you are in your car and come across an accident. You slow down and look. You don’t want to stop looking. You know it’s not good, but you can’t help it. Sin can captivate us. And suddenly, we are stuck in this pit of disaster, destitution, devastation, violence, strife and contention. We too are screaming at God that we can’t stand it.

I don’t know about you, but I do not want those things in my life. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:8-9a, “8 But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices,…” If we stop looking at these things, we will soon discover that God has been there all the time, just waiting for us to look His way.

I want to focus my eyes on You, Lord, and not on the things of this world.  

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Abiding, Answers, Bible, Hearing, Listening, Scripture, Seeking

DON’T YOU HEAR ME, GOD?

HABAKKUK 1:2

“How long, LORD, have I called for help, and You do not hear? I cry out to You, “Violence!” Yet You do not save.”

I have officially reached the age where I can admit I have trouble hearing. It is not terrible, and I don’t think I need hearing aids yet. But some days around our house it can get quite comical as my wife and I attempt a conversation. Those conversations are even more comical if we are not in the same room and are trying to talk.

Habakkuk is not getting an answer from God. The conversation seems to be way. He says, “I called for help, and You do not hear.” He goes even further and says, “You do not save.” Habakkuk must have been pretty desperate to talk to God that way. But just you wait and see how God answers.

APPLICATION

I have been accused of not listening sometimes. Whether it be my wife, children, grandchildren, employees or friends, people want to be heard. And people want to know that God is listening. He always is, even if His answer is slow in coming.

Two of my favorite verses on God listening are Psalm 40:1 and Psalm 118:5

“I waited patiently for the LORD; and He reached down to me and heard my cry.”

“From my distress I called upon the LORD; the LORD answered me and put me in an open space.”

Don’t you just love that? He reached down. He heard my cry. The Lord answered. What else could you want? God is there. He was there when Habakkuk cried out. Sometimes He asks us to wait – just wait – just wait – just wait. And when He answers it is always at the perfect time. Just wait.

I will wait for You, O Lord. I know You are there, even when I don’t feel You. You are always watching and listening.

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