Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
One of the main reasons people leave Christianity is because they have unmet expectations. They say yes to God and they think that Christianity will look a certain way. They'll pray and they'll get everything that they need. There comes a point in a person's life where they have unmet expectations, and they pray, and it seems like God is not answering their prayer.
Our Motives Matter
How we handle those unmet expectations reveals our motives of why we chose to become believers. When we have God, we have all that we need. We don't get God so that we can get His stuff. We get God so that we can get God. That's why we say yes to the Gospel.
Our Verse of the Day today is Habakkuk chapter 2, verse 20. It says, "'But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.'"
The Context: Habakkuk's Conversation with God
Habakkuk and the Lord are having a conversation in this chapter, and Habakkuk is looking all around and he's saying. there's so much injustice, there's so much violence. God, can You please step in and intervene?
He, in fact, is accusing God. He's arguing with God. He's like, God, I know that You're able. God tells him that Babylon will fall because of its greed and idolatry.
In the midst of this conversation where Habakkuk is trying to get an answer from God, this is what Habakkuk is saying: Explain to me what's going on, because all I see is violence. All I see is corruption. God, aren't You able to stop this?
God's Response
In the midst of that dialogue that God and Habakkuk are having, this is what God says. He says: "But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him."
That's God's way of saying, hey, stop accusing Me. I want you to know I'm still on the throne. Habakkuk, you're not God. I am God.
You might be thinking, well, how does this apply to my life? There's going to be moments in our lives where we're going to wonder, Lord, what are You doing with my life right now? Why do I see so much pain? Why do I see so much loss in my life?
It's Okay to Pour Out Your Heart
In those moments, it's totally fine to pour our hearts out to the Lord in prayer. I do that sometimes. In fact, I even ask God questions: Lord, why? Why? Or, please give me an explanation of why I'm wrestling with this for so long.
But there comes a time where we need to stop talking and start listening. That's why our text is important.
Let All the Earth Be Silent Before Him
"Let all the earth be silent before Him."
Sometimes we need to be reminded of this fact: We have a God that is still on the throne. He's still in control, and He will not give us answers all the time. Sometimes we'll know, but most of the time we won't have an answer. Our job is to trust that He's working behind the scenes.
Rest in His Plan
In those moments where it seems like He's doing absolutely nothing, we can rest in this: If I am in Christ, He's making everything work out for my good, and He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion.
