I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by Your amazing works. In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by. And in Your anger, remember Your mercy. Habakkuk 3:2 My uncle loves to tell the story about hiking with me when I was four years old. I was on his shoulders for the entire hike, yet, at the end of the hike, I was panting as if I just ran a marathon. I was acting as if I was the one getting a workout when my uncle was the one doing all of the work. There was no need for me to be out of breath. My uncle had carried me the throughout our entire hike. He was there for me so I could rely on his strength and rest on his shoulders during our hike. In the same way that my uncle was there for me during that hike when I was young, when we face hard times and injustice, God is there with us through every storm we face. We can rely on His power rather than attempt to face our storm alone. Facing a storm on our own is futile and exhausting. In Habakkuk chapter three, the prophet Habakkuk recounts God's power. In the middle of his storm where he mourns the sin of Israel and laments Israel's impending Babylonian captivity because of Israel's sin, he turns to God. Although he does ask God to be merciful to Israel in verse two, his focus is on God's power and greatness. After Habakkuk 3:2, he no longer pleads with God to save Israel from destruction or to punish the Babylonians. His shift changes to God's splendor, greatness, and power. It is almost as if recounting God's power and greatness allows him to rest. He acknowledges that God is in control, and he can trust God's plan. His faith is strengthened. He can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that God is carrying him and the people of Israel. When we face storms in our lives, we have two options: we can trust God to carry us through the storm, or we can try to face our storm on our own. Facing our storm on our own leaves us weary and out of breath, much like the sigh of exhaustion that I breathed that day that I was hiking on my uncle's shoulders. Trusting God to carry us brings peace, rest, and defiant faith. Whatever storm you are facing today, are you confidently resting in God's power, or have you forgotten that God is carrying you through your storm? Friend, choose to rest in God's power today. He has power over every storm you are facing and every storm you will ever face. You can have confidence in Him.
Are you struggling to trust God to carry you through the storm that you are facing? Are you attempting to walk through your storm on your own? Perhaps you need a reminder of God's power today. Take time today to be outside and observe the beauty of God's creation. Everything you see, trees, mountains, the blue sky, God created. The God who created everything you observe in nature is carrying you today. If He has power over all of nature, He also has power over your storm. You can rest in Him.
Read Habakkuk 3:1-6 (NLT)
This prayer was sung by the prophet Habakkuk:
I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works.In this time of our deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by.And in your anger, remember your mercy.
I see God moving across the deserts from Edom, the Holy One coming from Mount Paran.His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise.His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise. Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden.Pestilence marches before him; plague follows close behind.When he stops, the earth shakes. When he looks, the nations tremble.He shatters the everlasting mountains and levels the eternal hills. He is the Eternal One!
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