Trusting God no matter what

I recently finished teaching a 6-week study on Habakkuk from Dannah Gresh's book.

Here are a few takeaways that I gleaned.

Habakkuk was a prophet of God. He seems to start out self-focused but eventually comes around to aim his focus on God instead.

This, I believe, is the daily choice we all face throughout our faith walk with Christ. Will we choose to let the cares of this world affect us, have more import in our souls than Christ? Or will we choose to trust in Him no matter what?

Habakkuk had a relationship with God. That's where it all starts for each of us. How we respond in and to that relationship is entirely up to us. Pause and think on that! The God of the universe, the One holding everything together, deigns to have a relationship with us! And most are wandering through this life without knowing Him at all. I say wandering, because if they are without Christ, they are lost. No exceptions.

Habakkuk learns to cling to God. This means that he took his eyes off the evil happening around him in his world, and chose to put his faith and trust and hope in God instead.

We learn in the second chapter that the Babylonians (heathen nation) were full of pride. A proud person, though seemingly "together" on the outside, is not right within himself. That is because any time anyone lives their life as god of their own life, they are kidding themselves.

Proverbs 16:18 assures us that pride goes before a fall. So pride sets us up to make fools of us.

Pride brings death. How so?

1. Loss of connection/communion with God.
2. Broken relationships.
3. Open to dark spiritual forces.
4. Lose our witness for Christ.

When you read through this list, it will reveal where your heart is. Maybe none of these matter to you. Maybe you never realized why one or some or all of these are present in your life: all due to pride in your heart, or in the hearts of those around you.

God tells us in His Word that He dwells with the humble of heart.

"I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the hearts of the contrite one." Isaiah 57:15

Another huge takeaway that we learn from Habakkuk is that even though God told him that His judgment was coming, he still chose to sing songs. Not just any songs, but songs of praise to his God.

We can do the same as we see the world falling to pieces around us. We can choose to:

1. Take our eyes off ourselves.
2. Focus on God and His Sovereignty.
3. Sing praise songs to Him no matter what.

When we place our hope where we are meant to place it, where we were born to place it, fully in the Person of Jesus Christ, we will always be secure, at peace, and resting in His great love and care for us.

Misplaced hope will always cause doubt, fear, and insecurity. We were not built for that kind of hope, because it is a false hope.

But when we learn, like Habakkuk, to rest in God, trust God, see God as God, and know that He knows exactly what He is doing always, then we can carry on in this life in the know.

Christ longs for each of us to come to Him, be found in Him, for in Him alone our souls find true comfort, rest, peace, hope, and purpose.

For Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Won't you place your hope fully in the One who made you? In a world of fake, temporary, and instability, come to the only true Source that can save, heal, and restore you. Lay down your ruinous pride and come to Jesus.

Oh Lord. It seems like there is truly nothing new under the sun. There are those who believe You and follow you, and those who don't. The results are the same now as they were in Habakkuk's day. Thank You, Lord, that You are Sovereign still and are ruling with absolute authority and power. We need not fear or be confused about world events, as You told us in advance, throughout Your Word, to expect such things. So we choose, like Your prophet Habakkuk, to cling to You, sing to You, trust in You, and worship You all our days. Thank You, Lord God, for Your Omniscience, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence. For there is no other God but You, O Lord. In Jesus' Name. Amen.