Habakkuk 1-3
Devotion by Dustin Farr (South Carolina)
Why do bad people seem to succeed in this life? Why do the righteous suffer while the wicked seem to get away with everything? And if God sees it, why doesn’t He step in right away?
That’s exactly where the book of Habakkuk begins. The prophet cries out to the LORD, confused and hurting, asking why injustice is allowed to go on. It’s a reminder that God isn’t afraid of our concerns. He wants us to bring our pain, our doubts, and even our “why” straight to Him.
God answers Habakkuk in a way he doesn’t expect. He says He will use the Chaldeans (a powerful and wicked people) to bring judgment on Judah (a less powerful and less wicked people). But He also makes it clear that their strength is nothing compared to His, and their own judgment is coming.
Habakkuk learns that affliction is part of living in a broken world. God’s justice is not absent just because it isn’t immediate. His plans are bigger than what we can see, and even while Habakkuk was praying, God’s answers and plans were already in motion, just not in a way he could yet understand.
In the middle of this, God gives Habakkuk a promise. “The righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Paul quotes this later in Romans 1:17, reminding believers that faith is the foundation of a right relationship with God.
By the end of the book, Habakkuk’s tone shifts. His questions turn into worship. Chapter 3, written as a song, closes with
“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:18)
That’s the kind of faith we’re called to, not just praising God for what He’s done, but trusting in Him even when the outcome is still unseen.
Reflection Questions:
- What does Habakkuk’s honesty in prayer teach you about how to approach God in hard times?
- How does “the righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4) challenge your response to unanswered prayers?
- What would it look like for you to rejoice in the LORD this week, even in uncertainty?
Seek Grow Love 