How many times have you heard the word ‘WAIT’ said to you? Think of an office setting, where you are told the manager will see you in a moment. A moment turns to 10mins, 20mins, 30mins an hour and you are still waiting. How about a job application which you sent in 2 months ago, and no reply and you are still waiting? Fine. You asked God for something and he never answered you? Did i hit the spot yet? 

I am not toiling with your emotions, but just helping you reflect on your questions and thoughts. How did you respond to the long periods of waiting? Were you frustrated? Were you heartbroken? Were you angry? Did that frustration and anger lead you anywhere?

In the book of Habakkuk chapter 1, it starts off with Habakkuk asking God questions: 

2 How long, Lord, must I call for help,
    but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
    but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
    Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
    and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
    so that justice is perverted.

God answers him, by saying:

“Look at the nations and watch—
    and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
    that you would not believe,
    even if you were told.

God is basically telling him to wait. However, God’s answer as it follows, is not Habakkuk had expected. God said wait and see what i will do to the wicked. God however, will use people more wicked than the wicked people Habakkuk is questioning God about. Then Habakkuk starts questioning God’s method of punishment. How can God use more treacherous people, especially a God who hates evil and can’t stand the wicked. 

Chapter two: Habakkuk learns to wait on God and his methods. God tells him that he will accomplish what he has revealed to him. Habakkuk learns to listen to God’s reply although it is not what he had expected. Prayer encourages us to wait on God to carry out his work in us. He renews the strength of the weary (Isaiah 40:31). Everything has an appointed time when God is involved. God’s answer changed Habakkuk’s perspective about his circumstance. Chapter three demonstrate that prayer gives birth to assurance. Had Habakkuk not prayed to God and ask God the questions, he would not have understood God’s ways. He listened to God’s answer, which didn’t come the way he expected, and after God explains to him his reasons, he assures God’s superiority. His perspective about the whole situation changed, and he gained assurance that God was in control of the situation. All he had to do now was wait for what God had promised to happen. 

God hears our prayers and his timing is the best. When he tells us to wait, we should be willing to sit quietly without talking, yet holding on to faith that he will do what is right. My life has not been filled with sweet honey, but God has been faithful to me, because in every circumstance, I learnt that he knew what was best for me. Sometimes you don’t need words, but to sit quietly for a few minutes and reflect on all that’s been happening, turning it all to him. My perspective about my life and family was set a new again in church this morning. Be blessed as i have been.