This is the last week of This Is the Old Testament! Next week, we’ll continue our thematic overview of the entire Bible with This Is The New Testament. Each day we’ll read a thematic selection from a different book or two of the Bible, along with supplemental passages that show how the theme of that day’s main reading is found throughout Scripture. We’ll also read a brief summary of each book and a reflection on how the book fits into the larger story of Scripture.
What Is Habakkuk? The book of Habakkuk is a small collection of conversations between the prophet Habakkuk and the Lord. Habakkuk addressed God on behalf of the people of Judah concerning both the Babylonian devastation of Judah and Babylon’s coming day of judgment.
How Habakkuk Fits Into the Story: The book of Habakkuk addresses the common struggle to understand God’s actions in the world, while calling us to faith in God’s good purposes. Habakkuk’s message that the righteous will live by faith prepared the way for the greater understanding of this truth in the New Testament’s emphasis on salvation through faith in Christ.
Reflection Questions:
1. Describe a time when you personally walked in the tension of seeking clarity from God, while trusting Him in faith.
2. How does today’s reading shape your understanding of the story of redemption?
Take time to reflect on your responses and share what you are learning with others in the community in the comments.
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56 thoughts on "Habakkuk"
I can’t believe I have less than a week left of The Old Testament! How amazing. Praise The Lord, Jesus Christ, and The Holy Father for this beautiful blessing of opportunity. Thank you!
Currently in a season just like this. Waiting for an answer and trying to put full trust in God feels like a game of tug of war! But reading scripture like this reminds me that not only does God always show up for me but he does so FOR me. For purpose!
We are in this phase of life now. Pray for us!
Will be praying, Claire, for you to know the Lord’s calming presence with you and for a productive recovery time.
@ Bridget Vaschak – when reading passages that deal specifically with Israel I try to find the underlying principles that point to God’s character. Then, because He never changes, I try to see how the principal applies to me. Many of God’s promises are just for Israel, but as one who has been adopted into the family, there is application for me too. Not aure that makes sense to anyone else, but that is the way I roll.
Thank you, Kelly
I think a big part of it for me is knowing that when He mentions His people, He is mentioning us. God’s promise to Abraham to make him a father of many didn’t just men Israel, it meant the people made family through a descendant of David, which is Jesus. Also, I look for how the promises are fulfilled in Christ. I hope that helps, and know that it’s okay to struggle.
I clung to God during my long season of singleness. I trusted in his faithfulness and good plan for my life. He answered my many prayers by sending my amazing husband into my life. ❤️
This is what I put as well but the answer has been a no so far. In my forties now and my whole life I have wanted to be a wife and mother. I trust that he has the best plan for my life. People often wonder why but I ultimately know He has the best plan for me and I trust Him.
Hi SRT Sisters…
I have a question that I struggle to articulate the answer to:
As we read through the OT and the warnings and promises God gives to his people Israel, how do you get from what He said to a “collective people” to a very personal application of His word?
Good afternoon SRT friends. I hope your day has been fruitful and calm. I so appreciate having an extra group of prayer warriors. What would we do without our fellow believers. I ask for prayer for my rotator cuff surgery tomorrow at 7:30 Central and for my physical therapy which starts the next day. At 65 I feel like my body is against me, lol. I may not be able to type but I will be keeping up. Blessings
Praying for you Claire! Praying for a smooth surgery procedure and a quick recovery.
@Hope Trent- here is a verse for you today in your TWW :) : “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” Is 30:
I will rejoice in all that the Lord has done for me and given me. The Lord has been good to me and never left me even in the hard and difficult times. Yes, I have questioned the Lord, and wondered why many times but He has always been there.
Father, I know You will always be at my side through thick and thin. I know You are my One true friend I can count on. Amen.
Have a blessed week sisters.
So many incredible testimonies here. It is simply humbling and awe inspiring to see how the Lord has worked in each of your lives while waiting in those difficult seasons. Hope Trent and Chelsea Keeton, we are also waiting for God to give us a baby, our first. It has been so hard for me, especially after our miscarriage, but already I can see how God is using that to draw me closer to Him. Sisters please, continued prayer for blessing on the IVF embryo transfer we had last week is much appreciated.
Oh, my Sisters!!!…I have a million things to say to you but will try to limit…What a blessing EACH of you is in my life! What a gift it is to pray for one another and lift one another up in faith, in various stages of our journeys… together through the ebbs and flows!
I have prayed with each of you and will come back tonight!
I have ALWAYS loved and enthusiastically recited Hab 3:17-19… even had it on my fridge, handwritten!! But, this morning, I feel God grinning sweetly at me: “So, Baby Girl, do you mean it?! Are you ready to trust Me with this tree that you think that YOU planted, even if you don’t see all the fruits / flowers / leaves you think it should have? I
working . I am always working, my Child.”
I trust you Jesus. I do. Forgive me.
Thank you for this peace. Have mercy on me. I believe…help my unbelief. Thank you for every word I have been honoured to pray from each comment below, feeling like I’m genuinely holding the hand of each sister. Lord, hear the rumblings in each of our hearts and disperse anything that isn’t from You! Amen
Amen, Foster mama !
Learning to live in the tension is a lifelong process, I am finding. Thankful we have scripture to teach us.
My son was murdered 15 years ago at age 19. I had a huge crisis of faith, gave up on God. But He never gave up on me and today my faith is strong and I’ve been able to help others. TRUST Him even when everything else says you shouldn’t.
Linda that is absolutely devastating. I cannot imagine how you got through that. I also had a crisis of faith after I had a miscarriage a few months ago after a long time of trying for our first. God led me back to Him to depend on Him in ways I never knew possible.
I looked for clarity and clung to God when I found out my newborn was born with a congenital virus that caused her to be deaf and fragile at birth. The months after her birth were so difficult, with so many tests and blood draws and medications, and so much worry. But God showed me during my pregnancy that I cannot make it on my own, I was incredibly sick with Hyperemesis Gravidarum and I now know that God used that in my life to prepare me and show me that I would need to lean on him during the season when my daughter was born. He has been so faithful, and even though there has been lots of difficulty in this season I can see where he has interceded in her life and in mine. She is thriving now at almost 2 years old and is doing amazing with ASL, she is a gift to our family and this season has brought growth in all of us. I am so grateful that our God is faithful; He is El Roi, the God Who Sees and I know he sees me and has walked with me through every trial.
Hannah wonderful testimony thank you for sharing
Oops sent a Bad link look up song Into the Sea (It’s gonna be okay) by Tasha Layton
Maura I love this song! Thanks for sharing
Isaiah 40:31 but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint. I remember back in my 30’s trusting in God when my husband decided he no longer wanted to be married and turned away from God. I was heartbroken. It was the closest I have ever felt to God. I clung to Him. It was a growing time in my faith. Something terrible happened after that. I was physically abused by a boyfriend and I turned away from God. I felt like God failed me. How immature my faith was. I later realized God removed me from a terrible situation. I regret turning away. What a lot of years I wasted trying to get through life on my own. My son’s illness, loneliness, and missing God’s presence in my life brought me back to Him. What a gracious God we have. He never left me as I walked away from Him.
As I read the comments I prayed for all of you. I believe God will bring you, TAYLOR and SARAH, the husbands that will bring you such joy if you wait on Him.
Absolutely Loved “ How Habakkuk Fits Into the Story: The book of Habakkuk addresses the common struggle to understand God’s actions in the world, while calling us to faith in God’s good purposes. Habakkuk’s message that the righteous will live by faith prepared the way for the greater understanding of this truth in the New Testament’s emphasis on salvation through faith in Christ.”
Habakkuk 3:17-19 really stood out to me!! Finding joy and the faithfulness of God IN THE MIDST great and discouraging and hopeless trials and seeing how God gives us the tools and abilities we need to overcome!! SOOO good and so encouraging!!!!
MAURA, I hope you are doing well, and that you got the things organized that you wanted to! I am continuing to pray for you and your family and am hoping that all goes well with your parents this upcoming weekend..
What stood out to me in Isaiah 56 “hold fast to My covenant” I also loved how FAITHFUL God was to those that society (in those days) looked down upon..He recognized their faithfulness to Him and honored them for it!!! SOOOO Good!!!
Be Blessed today ladies!!! May you find God near to you throughout this day and always!!! Xoxo
Tension has existed between man and God since Eve bit into the apple. We have questioned and lamented God’s moves or, in many cases, non-moves. If we are fortunate, in hindsight, we may understand or see God’s strategy and realize each was for our benefit. Like Job, Habakkuk, Paul, and many, many others, I will leave the “Why?” to God and focus on following him in faithfulness.
1. I struggled seeking clarity during quarantine and feeling as if I was losing time in my early 20’s and struggling with my first year teaching. Turns out, God gave me two full months of time with my grandpa (I moved back in with my parents for a few months to help out with him since I was teaching virtually) as he passed away this February. I am blessed to have had this much time spent with him.
2. God is good all of the time. He always has a plan for what is happening and a reason behind it. We are to turn and call out to him for strength and believe in his reasoning and that it will bring us closer to him. God help me to remember this in the hard times. Praying for you all SRT sisters.
Good Morning everyone! As I was reeling the comments, I thought about an article by John Piper called: God Is Always Doing 10,000 Things in Your Life, but You May Be Aware of Three of Them. He is always working. may God help me/us to trust in His Sovereignty and have peace and joy.
I also thought about how wonderful it is that Angie wanted to praise Him as Habakkuk did! As Angie said, he didn’t write just about God’s goodness. He wrote about His strength and wrath. May we remember that He is Holy and May I reverence God as such. I know I have shared this, but there are wonderful teachings by R.C Sproul on the Holiness of God that I listened to on YouTube. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL30acyfm60fVpGc7Eo–3S6w1kdhXY9Cb
I heard that as Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, listened to these teachings he was on his knees. Hope everyone can listen.
Her writing reminds me of Psalm 104: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20104&version=CEV
Just reading the details of how God cares for creation should have us be amazed and in awe.
Thank you all for sharing. It is a blessing to know you can ask and others will pray for you. I know I could use prayer right now as well. God bless you all!
Praying for you all, thank you foe sharing. This song has recently come to my ears to my heart. So thought I would share it with you. Know the One who knows all is before us and behind us, loving each of us. https://tasha.ffm.to/intothesea.oyd
Beautiful reminder – thanks sis.
ANGIE, wow, the Holy Spirit certainly did guide your words! That was one of the most beautiful examples of contemporary praise that I have ever read and I am printing it out to keep and read over and over. I may share it at SS if time allows and you grant permission. Praying with you for your needs as God knows those even if we don’t. May you feel the cover of peace that only He can give. THANK YOU for using your share time for the beautiful praise!
CHARLIE, You are so right!
My husband and I are sitting in the tension of trying to grow our family, and grow our responsibilities in business. As a mom of a 2 year old, I feel like I should just pick one up focus on, and that I can’t do both simultaneously. My faith says I can. The peace of God is leading us to place where this will be a reality. I’m excited for the challenge. It’s going to be world’s different than when I was pregnant with my first and we had no money, no jobs, missionaries on sabbatical, and a different theology.
My tension is that I have faith for it, but we keep drawing a 1 line on the pregnancy test. The first child was so easy, this second one we are hoping for is much more difficult. Can you pray for our family for God’s hand in the growth of our family and in business?
Kassidy I will pray for you. My husband and and I are also trying for our first. I pray in Jesus name He will intervene on both our behalves.
4 years ago this month I made one of the hardest decisions in my entire life. I had been seeking the Lord for a long time before making this decision. I prayed for a few years. I wanted to make sure. I sought the Lord and prayed and asked for prayer. Then one day (4 years ago) , it was as if the door became widely opened and I was able to leave, my kids and I, a 20+ year long verbally and emotionally abusive marriage. God is so good and starting the healing process. I started a celebrate recovery program. . Please pray for continued healing for both of my children. Especially my teenage daughter.
Mari V I am adding this to my prayer list. Thank you for sharing your testimony.
Please pray for my son who has brought his precious 14 year old dog home from being in ICU for 5 days to take care of her during stage 4 kidney failure and my daughter who has viral pneumonia and waiting on tests results. I am praying for healing and for them to feel the supernatural strength of God holding them up and giving them peace. ❤️
The tension of seeking clarity from God, while walking in faith has been a huge part of my life for the last three years. In February 2018, my husband had to have major open-heart surgery – the kind where they stop your heart, cool your body, and divert all the blood to your brain. He was in the hospital for 11 days, 4 days in ICU. The surgery was a success, but man was it a hard walk. Then, in February 2019, my mom passed away from Parkinson’s. 2020 brought the pandemic and in August of 2020, my dad passed away. It has been a hard three years!
But God… What would we do without those two words? But God…He was so big and so present and still is. The time I spent wrestling with God during this time was precious. Do I want to go through stuff like that again? Not on your life. But I wouldn’t trade any of them for the things I learned and the way God grew my faith.
He is so good. He is so good to me and He is so good at being God.
Love these verses in Habakuk 18 yet I will celebrate in the Lord;I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!19 The Lord my Lord is my strength;he makes my feet like those of a deer.and enables me to walk on mountain heights. Sometimes it feels as if the tensions never stop, but God is faithful, merciful and just. His joy, love and peace is found in the valleys as well as on the mountain top as He meets us/Me right where we are. I will trust you LORD, help me to celebrate, rejoice, proclaim your goodness and love. Dear ERB, Isaiah 56, how precious justice and Do I g what is right is to the Lord. And the Sabath, this chapter speaks of how important it is and how He loves the eunuch and the foreigner, those who feel outside, He asks them to bind themselves to Him and how He will honor them as they give Him reverence. I feel these verses 3-8 were also for those who were treating the foreigner and eunuch as outcasts, to reveal His love is so so good. Bind yourself to our Amazing God, for He is faithful. Hugs all my Sisters. May we lift up the name of Jesus and know He is with us.
I think we are always living “in the tension of seeking clarity from God, while trusting Him in faith.” How many times have I read the scriptures and wished for a direct word from God, like the prophets and so many others had? How many times have I wished God would just TELL me what to do? And yet it is a sweet communion we have with Him — an asking and waiting, listening for that still, small voice. A nudge. A confirmation. I trust in Him patiently more and more the older I get. The evidence is clear: he’s a good Father who wants the absolute best for us. Trust and obey.
@CHARLIE your words are such an encouragement to me today! I have been asking and asking for clarity on whether my relationship is the person I am supposed to marry these two and a half years and you are right…. one day there will be a nudge! An answer. And in the mean time I should patiently lean into the Lord knowing that he will answer!
I have prayed for the needs mentioned this morning. I have some very deep ones of my own but I recognized that the time for the morning would only allow one heart-share and decided I did not want to miss the opportunity to praise as the Holy Spirit led. God knows our needs and is the God of Armies, all around us, our Refuge, our Shield. Thank You God for I can not fight this battle without Your presence, Your armor, and Your shield of faith. Amen.
Sitting in the tension now as I walk this season of singleness in my early 30s. Trusting God that the man he is preparing as my future husband is focusing his heart on God and praying for our future family too. Trusting that God knows my heart to be a wife and a mom. Reminding myself that His timeline is perfect, and so much better than my timeline. But the tension in the waiting, woah. I pray that I continue to grow closer to God in this tension. I know that when I meet him, that I will understand the wait. So grateful for His purposeful promises. Habakkuk is such a beautiful picture of faith in an unshakable God. He is our only constant.
I love the way Habakkuk is written. I love that he recognizes God’s power in things of nature in such a beautiful way. I appreciate that he doesn’t just speak of the goodness of God but also His strength and wrath. I’d like to try to praise Him similarly. Holy Spirit, guide my words.
We have your written Word Lord. We carry it in our hands and it is alive in our hearts through the Holy Spirit that You gave. You word teaches us of Your presence in times of old. Faithfully, consistently, You led your children. Your mighty hand was evident against enemies and against the sin in their own lives. You are a jealous God and will not share the glory or the throne. Nor should You. You are righteous and just, and merciful in unfathomable depths. We read of Your presence in times of old, before Jesus, Your presence on earth.
Then, You draw closer to today in Your gift of the New Testament scriptures. You came, Jesus. You taught us how to live day to day. You healed. You brought peace. You calmed. Your life as a man, death and resurrection provided the only way for our sinful souls to be redeemed. Your Word provides examples of people, just like us, yearning to follow, learning to follow, forgiven, redeemed, adopted heirs.
And following your resurrection and return to Heaven the Holy Spirit came to indwell us, an ever present hope, help, comfort and peace. In every day since your return to glory, in the today, and in the tomorrows that You provide we can see Your hand. You open the heavens and the rain falls from the sky, just as You open Your heart and the love pours out. You, Almighty, Creator God caused this water from the sky to fall differently according to temperature, and it is good. Streams flow to rivers, which flow to seas and oceans, just as Your presence in our lives falls upon us and flows into our lives covering greater expanses and depths as we drink it in.
Blades of grass, blossoming flowers, food for our animals and our own tables mix with the soil You created, rain, and sunshine and we are provided for…by the hand of God we are provided for. Thank you Father God. We love You and long to know You, love You, and honor You more. Amen.
No matter what is going on in our lives, even if it feels the world is falling all around us, we must trust in God. Certain things may never make sense this side of heaven, but we have to keep our eyes on God. He is the only thing that never fails.
My daughter is going through the same thing and so I know how difficult this is for you. Waiting is hard. I will include you in my prayers;
growing up with a brother who has special needs & trying so many surgeries & medications to help him with no avail reminds me of walking in tension while seeking clarity. this passage shapes our story of redemption as we don’t always see what god sees & even when we feel like we’re in a valley he is working.
Feeling this tension now waiting to see where God is calling us to live. The tension is familiar as I’ve waited on the Lord in other seasons of life. In my quiet moments I am able to find confidence in God- in my busier moments finding that confidence is not as easy. I pray that the Holy Spirit with stir up in me a peace of knowing God has me where I am for this time and I can bring God glory by living in the present and not worrying so much about tomorrow. He will renew our strength in our time of need!
I am definitely relying on the strength of the Lord today! I am exhausted from a long weekend of reffing a tournament in the hot sun 4 hours away from the my home. I also feel like I’m walking in that tension of waiting for God to provide a husband. It gets hard seeing so many people around you get married, engaged or be in relationships, but I trust the Lord will provide in His timing! Claiming Isaiah 40:29 today “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Have a blessed Monday everyone! <3
I had the unique situation of becoming rather close with our child’s birth mother during pregnancy. While knowing the intimate details of her life, and all the while trusting God would have his hand on our baby girl, protecting her through everything, was extremely tough. We saw the circumstances but chose to believe God and had faith he would bring her to us whole with NO lasting effects from utero experiences. I can’t describe the faith that I had, looking back on it, Seems crazy! God protected, guarded, watched over and heard our prayers.
Praying for all the request this am. Travel, relationships and lack. I ask for continued prayers for my healing.
I know this hurt and this waiting season. Praying for you! We are struggling with the same.
We are in a season of of waiting for God to give us a baby. While it is so hard to hear not yet, month after month, I am staying faithful that God will provide on his timeline and not mine, and when it happens I will understand why he made me wait.
I’m heading back home today with my little one on a 7-hour trip! Please pray for safe travels!
KRISTINA – praying that God will fill you with His joy.
CLAIRE B – praying your shoulder surgery goes well tomorrow.
1. My husband and I are currently in that tension. We believe it is good stewardship to move closer to where we work. We also believe that we should attended a church in our own community. So we are seeking clarity on where and when to move and which church to join.
2. Habakkuk reminds me that the only thing that is unshakable is God. All else will pass away. My salvation is complete and will be complete in God’s timing. He is worthy of all the praise, honor, and glory.