Sunday Sermon: What Do You See?
“2How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
but you do not come to save.
3Must I forever see these evil deeds?
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look,
I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people
who love to argue and fight.
4The law has become paralyzed,
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.”
Habakkuk lived during a time of great turmoil in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, surrounded by violence, corruption, and oppression. In his first prayer, we see him crying out to God in anger and frustration: “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Violence is everywhere!” (Habakkuk 1:2). His prayer is filled with complaints, as he is overwhelmed by the injustice he sees around him.
But something remarkable happens by the time we reach Habakkuk’s third prayer in chapter 3. Habakkuk’s perspective shifts dramatically. Instead of focusing on the violence and destruction, he begins to see God’s glory and power. He says, “I have heard all about you, Lord. I am filled with awe by your amazing works” (Habakkuk 3:2). His prayer transforms from one of complaint to one of worship, as he acknowledges God’s sovereignty over all things, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
What caused this change in Habakkuk? It wasn’t that his circumstances had improved—Judah was still in peril, and the Babylonians were about to invade. But Habakkuk had encountered God in a new way. He saw beyond the immediate chaos and recognized that God was still in control. He says, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines... yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
In the same way, we are often surrounded by troubling news, political unrest, and personal struggles. It’s easy to become frustrated, to question where God is in the midst of it all. But Habakkuk reminds us that what we choose to focus on shapes our prayers and our relationship with God. If we are constantly consumed by the negativity around us, our prayers will be filled with complaints. But if we fix our eyes on God’s glory, as Habakkuk did, our hearts will be transformed, and we will be able to worship even in the midst of hardship.
So I ask you today: where is your focus? Are you stuck in Habakkuk’s first prayer, overwhelmed by what is wrong in the world, or have you moved into the space of his third prayer, where you can rejoice in God’s presence despite your circumstances? Let us open our eyes to see God’s glory all around us and trust that He is at work, even when we don’t fully understand His plan. Amen.
(Note: This summary was created based on an AI draft.)