The Ministry TableSample

Living by Faith

Have you ever prayed for something and hated the answer from God?

Our situation seems pretty cut and dry, and the response we are looking for from God seems simple: help. Maybe you are feeling burnt out, or someone has deeply hurt you. When we go to God for solutions and answers, it seems there is really only one logical response. At least that is what we think—but then God answers differently than we expected. Maybe it’s silence; maybe it’s an answer we don’t like or don’t want.

It’s a hard place to be in—when we think we have what we need figured out and we just need God to sign the paperwork, but He has something else in mind.

This is where Habakkuk stands in his prophetic book. He comes to God with a clear problem—God’s people are being oppressed by poor leadership in the country. Habakkuk prays for God to do something about it and bring justice back to the land. God responds that He will do something about it: He is going to bring in the Babylonians to conquer Judah and wipe out the wickedness of His people.

To Habakkuk, this is even worse. How could God bring in even more unjust rulers to conquer His people? Habakkuk stands before God and complains again—how could He allow this? Does He not know how bad the Babylonians are and what they do when they conquer? He stands before God defiant, waiting for God to explain Himself.

The answer Habakkuk receives is incredible.

The Lord tells Habakkuk to write down a message from Him for all to see. What is God’s grand message?

The righteous shall live by faith!

It is a call to trust God—His plan and His character—no matter what the external circumstances look like. The word faith here is really translated as faithfulness. When we live by faithfulness to God, we do not swerve in our obedience to Him regardless of our expectations, hardships, or understanding.

This verse is quoted on three separate occasions in the New Testament because of the loud call it has for God’s people: we live by faithfulness—no matter what.

We are people who trust God and do not shrink back (Hebrews 10:39).

No matter what the circumstances are or how God answers—we trust Him.

Trust God today and stay faithful to Him.

Pastor Justin Mattera
Lead Pastor of ZION NYC
Brooklyn, NY
https://www.instagram.com/just_mattera/