Habakkuk: A 7-Day Devotional on Ruthless TrustSample

How to Live with Joy

Habakkuk 3:16-19

Written by: Lauren O’Neill

Where Does Your Help Come From?

Where do we run for cover when the world is shattering around us? What do we grasp for in our pain when our hearts are broken within us? How do we respond when God’s justice plays out differently than we thought it would? Do we exhibit ruthless trust or mere despair?

A Point to Suffering

Suffering is a fire that burns away the dross of our lives, exposing our souls. When Habakkuk experienced the vision of the disaster to befall God’s people, he was shattered. He had begged for a revival, but God had a different plan for His people (see Habakkuk 1:5-11). Habakkuk acknowledged the righteous justice of God while still grieving its impact and begging for mercy (see Habakkuk 3:1-15). His physical body trembled in response to the news of impending destruction. His skeletal system seemed insufficient to hold him upright. He was broken.

But notice the contrast between verses 16 and 19. After the trembling, there was quiet. A quiet deep in his soul where he stood resolved and fully submitted to the righteous justice of the sovereign God. Brokenness led to peace. He will quietly wait for the vision to come about. He will abide harsh reality and all the death and destruction it will bring, all the while praising Yahweh.

Entering the Quiet

So often, the quiet waiting in the presence of the Lord is what comes between the trembling and the triumph. Scripture tells us that when we are in the throes of suffering, our soul uniquely communes with its Maker. In Romans 8:26, we are told the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our groaning when grief has taken all our words away. In those times, we learn to trust God in a new way. In our brokenness, He is our peace.

A ruthless trust in a sovereign God is the only safe response when our soul is surrounded by suffering, disaster, and death. By resting in Yahweh, we cling to life. Just like Habakkuk, we can acknowledge the tragedy of our reality while still clinging to Christ and the joy of His presence and promise.

What Now?

Habakkuk understood the gravity of impending suffering and clung to God in response. Take a moment to pray and consider honestly: are you doing the same? In times of suffering or stress, where have you been running for safety or relief? Only a ruthless trust in God will bring the peace our soul craves as we quietly wait for His righteous will to be done.