Trusting God Amidst Trials: Lessons from Habakkuk
Summary
This morning, we journeyed back over 2,600 years to the days of Habakkuk, a prophet who lived in a time of deep turmoil and corruption in Judah. Habakkuk looked around and saw injustice, violence, and a nation in moral collapse. He brought his honest questions and frustrations to God, asking why evil seemed to flourish and why God appeared silent or indifferent. These are questions that resonate with us today as we witness brokenness in our own world and sometimes in our own lives.
God’s response to Habakkuk was both shocking and instructive. Rather than immediately removing the evil, God revealed that He was at work in ways Habakkuk could not see or understand. In fact, God would use an even more wicked nation, Babylon, as an instrument of discipline for Judah. This was not the answer Habakkuk wanted, but it was a reminder that God’s ways are higher than ours, and that He can use even the darkest circumstances for His greater purposes.
There is a real tension in trusting God when life doesn’t make sense. Like Habakkuk, we may affirm God’s goodness and sovereignty, yet struggle with the pain and confusion of our circumstances. Trusting God in the trial means being honest with Him about our fears and frustrations, and choosing to trust His character even when His ways are hidden from us. God is not afraid of our questions; He invites us to bring them to Him.
We also considered how adversity and suffering are not obstacles to be avoided, but often the very means by which God strengthens and purifies us. Just as a butterfly needs the struggle of the cocoon to develop strong wings, we too are shaped and prepared for greater things through our trials. The fruit is found in the valley, not on the mountaintop. Ultimately, the call is to live by faith—to trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty, even when we cannot see the outcome. Our salvation and our hope rest not in our ability to control or understand, but in trusting Jesus Christ, who meets us in our darkest valleys and leads us through.
Key Takeaways
- Honest questions are a mark of real faith. Habakkuk’s willingness to bring his complaints and confusion to God shows us that God welcomes our raw honesty. Faith is not pretending everything is fine, but coming to God with our real struggles, trusting that He can handle our doubts and fears. [11:56]
- God’s ways are often hidden, but His character is trustworthy. When life is confusing and we cannot see what God is doing, we are called to trust in who He is—holy, just, and good. Our limited perspective cannot grasp the full picture, but we can rest in the unchanging nature of God. [28:54]
- Suffering and adversity are not punishments, but opportunities for growth and purification. God sometimes allows or even uses painful circumstances to refine us, not to harm us but to make us stronger and more like Christ. The struggle is not wasted; it is the very process by which we are prepared to soar. [31:42]
- The tension of trust is part of the Christian life. Like the climber who must trust the rope on the way down, we are called to trust God fully, especially when we feel most vulnerable. This tension is not a sign of weak faith, but of authentic relationship with God, where we learn to depend on Him in every season. [26:22]
- Living by faith means embracing the unknown and relying on God’s promises. The righteous live by faith, not by sight. Our hope is not in our ability to understand or control, but in the finished work of Jesus Christ, who endured suffering and conquered death so that we might have life and hope in every trial. [37:05]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[02:20] - Back to the Future and Spiritual Time Travel
[04:13] - Setting the Historical Context: Habakkuk and Judah
[06:40] - Judah’s Inner Turmoil and Corruption
[09:15] - Habakkuk’s Honest Questions for God
[10:27] - The Corruption under King Jehoiakim
[11:56] - Is It Okay to Complain to God?
[14:40] - God’s Shocking Response: Raising Up Babylon
[17:20] - The Power and Evil of Babylon
[19:12] - God at Work in Unseen Ways
[21:22] - Discipline, Purification, and the Purpose of Pain
[22:41] - The Tension of Trusting God
[24:18] - Affirming God’s Goodness Amidst Confusion
[26:22] - The Climbing Analogy: Trust and Tension
[27:38] - How to Trust God in the Trial
[30:24] - Understanding God’s Ways
[31:42] - Embracing the Struggle for Growth
[36:26] - God Meets Us in the Valley
[37:05] - Living by Faith: The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: Trust in the Trial (Habakkuk)
---
### Bible Reading
- Habakkuk 1:1–2:4
(Key verses: Habakkuk 1:2-4, 1:5-6, 1:12-13, 2:4)
- Romans 1:16-17
(Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4: “The righteous shall live by faith.”)
---
### Observation Questions
1. What specific complaints does Habakkuk bring to God about the situation in Judah? (Habakkuk 1:2-4)
[See [09:15]]
2. How does God respond to Habakkuk’s questions about injustice and evil? (Habakkuk 1:5-6)
[See [14:40]]
3. What is Habakkuk’s reaction to God’s answer, and how does he describe his struggle to trust God? (Habakkuk 1:12-13)
[See [22:41]]
4. According to Habakkuk 2:4, what is the defining characteristic of the righteous?
[See [37:05]]
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think God chose to use an even more wicked nation (Babylon) as an instrument of discipline for Judah? What does this reveal about God’s ways?
[See [19:12]]
2. The sermon says that “honest questions are a mark of real faith.” How does Habakkuk’s example challenge the idea that faith means pretending everything is fine?
[See [13:35]]
3. The pastor compared trusting God in hard times to a climber trusting the rope on the way down. What does this analogy teach us about the nature of faith during trials?
[See [26:22]]
4. The sermon mentions that suffering and adversity are not punishments, but opportunities for growth and purification. How does this perspective change the way we view our own struggles?
[See [31:42]]
---
### Application Questions
1. Habakkuk was honest with God about his frustrations and confusion. When was the last time you brought your real questions or complaints to God? What holds you back from being that honest?
[See [11:56]]
2. The sermon says that God’s ways are often hidden, but His character is trustworthy. Is there a situation in your life right now where you can’t see what God is doing? What would it look like to trust His character instead of demanding answers?
[See [28:54]]
3. The pastor shared the story of the butterfly needing the struggle of the cocoon to develop strong wings. Can you think of a time when a struggle or hardship actually made you stronger or prepared you for something greater? How did you see God at work in that process?
[See [31:42]]
4. The tension of trusting God is described as normal for believers. Are you currently experiencing that tension? How do you usually respond—by pulling away from God, or pressing in with your questions and trust?
[See [26:22]]
5. The sermon challenges us to “embrace the struggle” rather than avoid it. What is one specific struggle you are facing right now? What would it look like to embrace it as an opportunity for growth, rather than just something to escape?
[See [31:42]]
6. Habakkuk 2:4 and Romans 1:17 both say “the righteous shall live by faith.” What is one area of your life where you need to take a step of faith this week, even if you don’t know the outcome?
[See [37:05]]
7. The pastor said, “The fruit is found in the valley, not on the mountaintop.” Where do you see God meeting you in your own valley right now? How can you look for His presence and purpose in the midst of difficulty?
[See [36:26]]
---
Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite group members to pray honestly about their current struggles, asking God for faith to trust Him even when His ways are hidden. Pray for courage to embrace the struggle and for eyes to see God’s goodness in every season.
Devotional
Day 1: Honest Questions for God in the Midst of Suffering
God welcomes our honest questions and complaints, even when we are frustrated, confused, or hurting, because real faith is not pretending everything is perfect but bringing our true selves before Him. When injustice, pain, or confusion seem overwhelming, it is not a lack of faith to ask, “Why, God?” or “How long?”—in fact, it is the very posture that opens us to God’s comfort and wisdom. Like Habakkuk, you can pour out your heart to God, trusting that He can handle your fears, doubts, and even your anger, just as a loving father listens to his children. In the real world, life is not easy, and God does not expect us to hide our struggles; instead, He invites us to bring them to Him, knowing that He hears and cares. [11:56]
Habakkuk 1:2-4 (ESV)
“O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you ‘Violence!’ and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.”
Reflection: What is one honest question or frustration you need to bring before God today, trusting that He welcomes your real feelings and doubts?
Day 2: God Is at Work Even When We Don’t Understand
Even when circumstances seem to go from bad to worse, God is not idle, indifferent, or insensitive—He is always at work, sometimes in ways we cannot see or comprehend, using even painful or confusing situations for a greater purpose. When God’s answer to our prayers is unexpected or even shocking, it can be hard to accept, but He promises that He is doing a work in our days that we might not believe if told. Just as God used the rise of Babylon to discipline Judah, He can use adversity, hardship, and even evil for good, shaping us and the world according to His sovereign plan. Trusting that God is working behind the scenes, even in the darkest times, gives us hope and strength to endure. [19:12]
Habakkuk 1:5 (ESV)
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.”
Reflection: Where in your life do you struggle to see God at work, and how might you choose to trust that He is moving even when you don’t understand?
Day 3: The Tension of Trusting God’s Character
Trusting God in the trial means holding the tension between affirming His goodness and wrestling with the pain and confusion of life, knowing that His character is holy, just, and good even when His ways are hidden from us. Like Habakkuk, we may not like or understand God’s answers, but we can still declare, “You are my Lord, my God,” and choose to trust His heart when we cannot trace His hand. Life is full of confusing, difficult seasons, but God’s character remains steadfast—He is not like us; His knowledge is infinite, His ways are higher, and His love is unchanging. In the midst of uncertainty, we are invited to trust not in our circumstances, but in the unshakeable character of God. [28:54]
Habakkuk 1:12-13 (ESV)
“Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?”
Reflection: What is one aspect of God’s character you need to cling to today, especially in an area where you feel confused or disappointed?
Day 4: Embrace the Struggle—Suffering Precedes Growth
God often uses adversity, hardship, and struggle not to punish us, but to purify, strengthen, and grow us, turning our burdens into blessings if we trust Him through the process. Just as a butterfly needs the struggle of the cocoon to develop strong wings, and as Jesus endured the cross before glory, our suffering can become the very means by which God shapes us for greater purpose and resilience. Rather than seeking to escape every difficulty, we are called to embrace the struggle, trusting that God is making our wings strong so that we might soar, and that the valley seasons are where the deepest fruit and blessing are found. [36:26]
Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Reflection: What is one hardship or struggle you are facing that you can choose to embrace today, asking God to use it to grow and strengthen you?
Day 5: The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
The call of God in every trial is to live by faith—trusting in His grace, His promises, and His salvation, not in our own strength or understanding, but in Christ alone. This life of faith is not about having all the answers or escaping hardship, but about putting our faith forward, trusting Jesus Christ, and believing that He is with us in every valley and on every mountain. The good news is that salvation and strength come not from our ability to navigate the trial, but from simply trusting in the Lord, who meets us in our darkest moments and leads us to life. [37:05]
Habakkuk 2:4 (ESV)
“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.”
Reflection: What is one step of faith you can take today to trust Jesus more fully in the midst of your current trial?
Quotes
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