Habakkuk’s Watch and God’s Response
I will take my stand to watch, and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
And the Lord answered me, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.
For still the vision awaits it time; it hastens to the end-it will not lie. If it seems slow wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay”- Habakkuk 2:1-3
Personal Reflection: Finding Strength in Uncertainty
These verses became more than ancient words to me during one of the most uncertain seasons in my life.
I got sober in 1998. At the ten-year mark of my sobriety, the Great Recession was upon us, shaking the financial structure of the world to its core. Fear and insecurity suddenly returned. I was financially leveraged- two college tuitions, a mortgage, a new car, and a family trip already planned for the summer. Our family savings account had temporarily been depleted and now the security of my job was uncertain.
Early in my recovery, I was introduced to a number of useful tools to maintain my sobriety. My day always started with prayer and meditation, yet fear and anxiety quickly returned, louder than before. I knew I needed to dig deeper and seek God’s help at a whole new level.
Seeking much-needed answers, I eventually picked up the Holy Bible. The weight of the book and its content intimidated me and made me anxious. As I flipped through the pages, I somehow landed on the scripture above and read it repeatedly. The words in the first three verses rang out. The promise in the third verse filled my heart and gave me hope! I needed to be patient and allow God to work things out in my life.
Habakkuk’s Context and Message
After researching Habakkuk’s story, I noticed parallels with my own circumstances. Habakkuk lived during a period of violence and threat from Babylon, questioning God about the suffering of the righteous and the success of the wicked. He chose to wait and listen for God’s response rather than act. God instructed him to record his vision clearly for others and emphasized that His plan would unfold at the right time, requiring patience, endurance, and faith.
Applying Habakkuk’s Lessons
Like Habakkuk, I wanted answers but was called not to act, but to listen. My watchtower was a condition of my heart, choosing trust over panic and listening instead of overreacting.
The outcome I feared in 2008 never transpired. Instead, it was replaced by a greater gift – learning to trust God through uncertainty. I didn’t lose my job, our children graduated from college, my wife and I paid off the car and our mortgage, and we saved enough money to secure our retirement.
The teachings of Habakkuk inspired me to start journaling my own experiences as God’s mercy guided me in life. It eventually led me to create this website. The foundational message that I continue to receive from Habakkuk is this: in every season, we are called to pray, wait and watch for God at work. Not because waiting is easy, but because God is faithful, even when we cannot see it.