Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 3:1-19, Psalm 17:1-15, John 1:14-18, Galatians 3:11
The Broadway show, Mean Girls, is a spectacle. Hot pink and glitter, blonde hair and high-pitched voices—I saw them everywhere under the stage’s bright spotlight. As the play began, my eyes landed on Regina’s mother (played by Amy Poehler in the movie version). When her “Queen Bee” daughter arrives home with friends, the mother says: “There are no rules in this house! I’m not like a regular mom. I’m a cool mom.” Then she winks.
Regina’s mother is a laughing stock. Out all of the kids in the movie, Regina needs a strong parent the most. And in trying to be the “cool” mom, she’s actually no mother at all. Her well-timed wink is proof of her weakness.
I say this because we live in a time that would very much like for God to be a “cool” God. If He is all-forgiving, we suppose He is all-accommodating too. But we don’t have a God who winks at evil. In this passage in Habakkuk, we’re given explosive imagery, like a fresh pair of glasses with which to see God. Take the time to read the passage out loud and really envision the scene.
As I read this chapter, I imagine God standing in the midst of a city, turning His head back and forth, searching for something. He stomps through the earth, on the hunt. His brilliance is like light. Rays are flashing from His hand. Pestilence surrounds His feet. As I read Habakkuk 3 with this image in mind, a picture of God, I wonder, Should I fall in love with Him, or should I be afraid of Him?
I think the author of Habakkuk wants us to feel that tension. Because God is attractive, He draws us to Him. But He is also terrifying. Whether we’re about to be saved or destroyed, the same thing is true: God is worthy of our awe (Habakkuk 3:2). In His presence, our mouths should drop open; He is worthy of our rapt attention.
But what is He doing in this passage? What is He after? Our answer can be found right in the middle of the chapter where the prophet tells us why God is on a rampage: “You come out to save Your people, to save Your anointed” (v.13).
In this book of poetry, I see God as a fierce fighter trampling wickedness, turning His head to the left and right, all in order to find and save me. This is such great news! God is not angry with me; He is angry with evil. God is not on a mission to destroy me; He is on a mission to destroy His enemies. That is why the last few verses of this chapter are so very powerful. Can I write my own version? Can you?
Even if cancer takes the ones I love away
Even if my marriage falters and fails
Even if the house is empty of children forever
Even if my career is cut short
Even if my bank account is nearing zero
Even if all I see is sorrow and pain and destruction—
Even then I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will trust Him.
I will wait quietly for God to do His work, confident in His goodness and His timing.
No, God does not wink at our sin. But He loves His children, and He holds us in His arms, even as His feet stomp out the worst of the evil in this world.
Claire Gibson is a writer whose work has been featured in publications including The Washington Post and Entrepreneur Magazine among many others. An Army kid who grew up at West Point, New York, Claire is currently growing roots in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, Patrick, their son, Sam, and their dog, Winnie. Her debut novel, Beyond the Point, will be published next year.
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61 thoughts on "Confidence in God"
Though the student teaching position come to an end and I leave my students
Though the next placement is filled with uncertainty and I have no job for afterwards,
Though my brother continues to stumble further down the wrong path and nothing we do seems to help
Though my anxiety flares up
YET,
I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior
God is faithful and he has proven it time and time again in my life, in the dancing and in the mourning and he will continue to be faithful, again and again. Amen
Please pray for me sisters. Sometimes I fear I don’t know how to love…don’t know how to feel compassion. I struggle to look outside of my current situation and feel joy or praise.
I want to be loving, kind, compassionate and full of joy and praise. I just don’t know how to get there, I guess.
Praying for you. I think everyone can relate to how you are struggling in one way or another. Take victory in choosing to take the time to reflect and focus on Him. It’s easy when it’s early in the morning and the day hasn’t fully started yet, the trial comes as the day gets going. Set yourself up with reminders throughout the day to draw your focus back to Him when you need it most.
Praying for you, Kailee. Only God can give you these things. You can’t produce them in yourself, no matter how hard you try. Cry out to him from your heart and ask him how you get there. He longs to answer your heartfelt prayer.
Heavenly Father, Kailee is struggling with her emotions right now, wanting to feel love, compassion, and joy and to be able to praise You despite her current circumstances. Remind Kailee that she is not defined by her emotions but by what Jesus accomplished on the cross. Because of Christ’s death on the cross, she can wake up every morning and live life knowing that, no matter what she does, thinks, says, or feels, the cross covers it. Because You offered up Your own beloved Son, Kailee can have peace with You and can face each day and each person she encounters with fresh hope and grace. Help her to focus on what is true, not on how she feels. As she sits before the cross, help her to gain a new appreciation for what Jesus’ sacrifice actually means for her on a daily basis: that the indwelling Holy Spirit is guiding her day by day to conform her ever more closely to Christ’s image, the greatest picture of love, kindness, compassion, joy, and praise in all of creation. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Praying for you
Thank you, sisters, for your prayers and encouragement. They truly mean so much.
The Habakkuk passage caused me to look at my sin, which seems great, and then humbly ask for forgiveness. God has forgiven me and now, I must bring my sinful self under control. I am ashamed of my behavior. Have mercy Lord!
My job, teaching high schoolers, is so difficult this year and there seems to be little to no support for teachers. Today, I dread going. My feelings are not sinful but I have been allowing my feelings to take flight via my mouth. I have been telling almost everyone I come in contact with that my job is difficult and there is no support for me or other teachers. Ah, there it is, there is my sin. It is long past the time for me to be silent unless I am praising God! He is worthy!
Praying for you Kelly. That you feel His support in your days. It sounds like you do need to speak to someone, praying God leads you to who needs to hear about this lack of help. The district supervisor. Thank you for teaching, it can be a daily battle these days, but students need good Christians. God bless you Kelly.
And that the district supervisor respond with support of all kinds and that others also bring support to you.
Praying for you Kelly, as well as your students. I still have the email from when we spoke a little while back. Take care and God bless, sister!
No matter what, I will praise the Lord! Thank you for this lesson today.
Thankful that even when God allows stressful, unfortunate circumstances to happen in my life, He gives me what I need to stand firm and not shrink back in fear. The encouragement I’ve been receiving from Him through this study has been getting me through a very difficult time at work. Even if I’m being questioned about my ‘inaction’ as a nurse following a patients death.. I will trust in God and wait for Him to vindicate me as David did when facing injustice and accusation.
Praying for you to stand strong. The joy of the Lord shall be your strength.
Amy, be a nurse myself, as long as you did what you felt was right you need to stay strong. I will be praying for you.
Praying for you Amy
Yes, He is a Holy God! I want to revere Him and give Him the honor and glory due! Jesus is the King of Kong’s and Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. All things were created through Him. Nothing would be existing right now if He wasn’t sustaining it! Amazing! Even while being beaten and hanging on a a cross, He was giving breath to the ones doing these and sustaining the universe and providing every creature’s need. I often forget how awesome are His Works. I heard Dr. Charles Stanley day that when we stand before Him, we will fall on our faces. I don’t want to forget how Holy and Majestic He is! Help me to live in awe of a you and Your Son, Jesus! Forgive me for not holding You in the highest regard, being prideful, and thinking I can handle things. I am reminded of the song Be Magnified! Help me to do that always. https://youtu.be/dEr3RHZWbqQ https://youtu.be/XRFbc1KQWtg
Thank you claire for the word. It was very encouraging…. even if…
Claire, this was awesome… thank you.
I am by no stretch of the imagination anywhere close to the magnitude of God and His love for us His children, But God has given me a heart to love, and fiercely too the ones He has blessed me to call family.. friends.. and so I know about fighting for them, I know about loving them to the point where, if there is an injustice .. heads could roll, for the hurt, pain, distress caused…
My emotions again are NOTHING compared to Our God’s… but it gives me an idea of how He feels when things go ‘wrong’ for us…
He loves us… regardless of what we’ve done, where we’ve been, will do in the future…
He loves us in our pain, our brokenness, our grief..
He loves us in our situations good or bad…
He loves us..
He loves us..
Even if my heart should break..
Even if I cannot hear my mother’s love in her voice…
Even if life gets hard…
Even if I feel overworked and underpaid..
Even if living seems hard right now…
Even if I feel an ache in my heart that stops me in my tracks…
Even if..
Even if..
Still.
Still.
Still…and most especially then, I will rejoice in the Lord.. He has been and continues to be my strength.. He enables me to put one foot in front of the other..
He has got this..
He has got me..
He is my God..
I will praise Him…
Amen.
Fixing my eyes on Him, Sisters.. hoping you find your refuge in Him who only ever has your best..BEST interest at heart…
Sending hugs wrapped in love and prayers ..
Happy Weekend y’all ❤
Yes, God is good all the time. Amen.
❤️❤️❤️ Amen!!
Beautifully said Tina!
Amen