Daily devotion – Our Faithful God.
In his classic hymn, William Cowper (1731–1800) wrote these well-known words:
“God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.”
Those words remind us that God often works in ways we could never imagine or fully understand. His purposes are far greater than our limited perspective.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote:
Jeremiah 29:11 – “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'”
Likewise, Isaiah reminds us:
Isaiah 55:8–9 – “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
We live in a troubled world. In recent years we have experienced a global pandemic, ongoing war in Ukraine, increasing terrorism, and a growing wave of antisemitism directed against Israel. Alongside these are rapid moral changes in society, confusion over gender, the rise of “wokeness,” and an increasing rejection of God’s truth.
Against such a backdrop, the opening verses of Habakkuk speak powerfully to us.
1. God’s ways are often mysterious to us
To our human thinking, God can appear strangely silent. We look at the condition of the world—or even our own personal circumstances—and wonder why He seems inactive when matters appear so urgent.
We ask questions such as:
Why does God permit pandemics, wars, and suffering?
Why is the Christian church in such a weakened condition in many places today?
Why has He allowed moral confusion and the rejection of biblical truth to spread so rapidly?
Why are evil things done, sometimes even in His name?
Why do the prayers of faithful believers seem to go unanswered?
Like Habakkuk, we cry out:
“O LORD, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ and You will not save.” (Habakkuk 1:2)
Perhaps you have been praying for a husband, wife, child, grandchild, or close friend for many years. You are convinced it is God’s will that they be saved, yet heaven seems silent.
“Why doesn’t God answer?” we ask.
Habakkuk understood that feeling.
2. Sometimes God’s answers are completely unexpected
What surprised Habakkuk most was not God’s silence—it was God’s answer.
The prophet expected God to discipline Judah and then send revival. Instead, God said:
“Look among the nations and watch—be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you. For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans…” (Habakkuk 1:5–6)
The Chaldeans (Babylonians) were a ruthless and violent nation. God would use them as His instrument of judgment.
This was the last answer Habakkuk expected.
God’s plans often surprise us because He sees the entire picture while we see only a tiny part.
We must always be prepared for the unexpected when dealing with God.
What would previous generations of Christians think if they could see the condition of much of the church today? Many would scarcely believe how far society—and even some churches—have drifted from biblical truth.
Yet none of this has taken God by surprise.
Habakkuk was bewildered:
“Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises.” (Habakkuk 1:3)
Those words could easily describe our own generation.
3. History is under God’s sovereign control
The great lesson of Habakkuk is that history is never out of God’s control.
God declared:
“For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans…” (Habakkuk 1:6)
Notice that it was God who raised them up.
He was not approving of their wickedness, but He was sovereignly using them to accomplish His purposes.
God governs not only His own people but also the nations of the world. Kings rise and fall under His sovereign hand. Empires come and go according to His timetable.
No government, no army, no world leader, and no superpower operates outside His ultimate authority.
That does not mean everything people do is good or approved by God. Rather, it means that nothing can thwart His eternal purposes.
As believers, this gives us confidence. While the world appears to be spinning out of control, it is actually moving according to God’s prophetic plan. The Lord has not abandoned His throne, nor has He lost control of history.
Our responsibility is not to understand everything He is doing, but to trust Him, obey Him, and remain faithful until He accomplishes His perfect will.
Heavenly Father, thank You that even when we cannot understand Your ways, we can trust Your character. Help us to remember that Your thoughts are higher than ours and that You are working out Your perfect purposes in our lives and throughout history. Give us faith to trust You in seasons of silence and patience to wait for Your perfect timing. May we rest in the certainty that You are sovereign over every nation, every circumstance, and every detail of our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.