◄ What Does Habakkuk 1:12 Mean? ►

Habakkuk was crying out to the Lord in distress about the evil, violence, destruction, and wickedness that was the hallmark of the people and the nations of his day, and which was overtaking the people of Israel, but the Lord appeared indifferent, and the calamities intensified rather than abated. In fact, God was using the evil actions of wicked men to chasten and train His own people and forward His own perfect plans and purposes.

Although Habakkuk did not understand why God allowed certain things to happen, he did what we all need to do when we do not understand why our cries to God for help, sometimes seem to go unheeded. He reflected and meditated on the unchanging character of God. He cried out to God: "Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One! We will not die!"

And this is equally true today for us. When the painful circumstances of our lives are not removed or when God permits evil actions of wicked men to seemingly succeed in our world, we should immediately turn our focus on the unchanging character of God, and trust Him.

Only good comes from the Lord but He will permit evil to flourish in order to forward His perfect plans and purposes. Let us remember that all things ultimately work together for good to those that love God, but we only see through a glass darkly and we do not always understand why certain things are permitted to happen in our lives and in our world.

Nevertheless, the Lord our God is from everlasting to everlasting, and our times and our lives are in His hands. Let us submit to His leading, guiding, training, and trust in His Word.

Loving Lord, I do not always understand why certain things are permitted in my life and why evil men so often appear to prosper, but I trust in Your love, for You are my Father and I am Your child. I understand, Lord, that in this world there will be trials, but praise be to Christ Jesus my Lord, for He has overcome the world. In Jesus' name, AMEN.