“How long, Lᴏʀᴅ, must I cry for help? But you do not listen! I call out to you, “Violence!” But you do not intervene! Why do you force me to witness injustice? Why do you put up with wrongdoing? Destruction and violence confront me; conflict is present and one must endure strife. For this reason the law lacks power, and justice is never carried out. Indeed, the wicked intimidate the innocent. For this reason justice is perverted.”– Habakkuk 1:2–4
These verses remind me of our Lament study, Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering. One of the profound things I learned was that I can bring my pain to God, ask questions, cry, and vent, and He is not put off by me. I also learned that what separates lamenting from complaining is my ability to recognize that, in the midst of all the storms and pain, I can acknowledge that God can bring a miracle, and I praise Him for it. I don’t allow my issues to blind me or make me forget the greatness of Jehovah. Even though the pain, worries, and injustice are overwhelming, I still know and remember that my heavenly Father is more than able.
If you are like me in our present day I know you must be tired of all the things you see and hear. The news is filled with so much bad news that it can sometimes get depressing. Watching TV was supposed to be relaxing, but now it is a cause of stress. You might be like me wondering, “Father, when will all these things stop? Do you see this?” Injustice, sorrow, pain, and hunger are on the rise, and I wonder: “If my heart is broken by all of this, how much more does it break the heart of God, who is in control of the whole universe?”
Friends, it can be overwhelming, tiring, and a great trial of our faith. But I want to encourage you to keep hope alive. Don’t give up and say, “If everything is continuously getting worse, why should I keep trying?”
We have a God who understands what’s happening. A careful search of His Word shows us that these things would happen. But we have Him! Yes, friend, you have Him. You can come to God with all your worries and cares. You can tell Him, like Habakkuk did in today’s verses, how much it hurts and He will listen and not send you away. Don’t be silent. Talk to your Father. His ears are always open to the prayers of His children.
God says that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and He fulfilled that promise when He sent Jesus to die for us. Jesus came and changed the trajectory of history. He changed the story. He gave us hope, peace, and joy. Instead of being overwhelmed by everything wrong around us, we can remember that Jesus will come back and have hope that soon it will all be over. We can rest in God’s peace and love and fill our hearts with His words of comfort. Jesus’ coming is a reminder that God is aware of all that’s happening. He is not oblivious. He sees and He is working. It might not always look like it, but God is aware.
This season, I want to rest in the fact that Jesus came and He changed everything. I want to encourage you to spend time in His Word and strengthen your faith. Look around you for miracles and blessings. They are there. Darkness can never shut out the light. Instead, light drives the darkness away. Pour your heart out to Jesus and allow Him to fill you up with His everlasting hope and peace. Don’t stay in a place of despondency. Allow Jesus’ coming and God’s Word to lift you to a place of peace, joy, and hope.
I wish you the very best of the season.
Week 2 Challenge:
This week, we will reflect on the brokenness of the world and the hope we have in Christ. Advent is meant to remind us of this brokenness and the reality that we are still waiting for wholeness and complete redemption in Christ. As you go about your week, take note of things in your life that are broken. Remind yourself of the truth of God’s promise, that He is coming and will redeem everything in His perfect time.
Week 2 Reading Plan
Week 2 Memory Verse
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