Wrestling with Faith: Embracing Life's Injustices
Summary
### Summary
Today, we began a new series titled "When Life Isn't Fair," exploring the tough questions we often ask God during challenging times. We started by acknowledging that as we grow older, our questions about life and faith become more complex and difficult. Questions like "Why do bad things happen?" and "Where is God when I need Him?" are common, and they can shake our faith. We delved into the book of Habakkuk, a small but powerful book in the Bible, where the prophet Habakkuk himself wrestles with these very questions. Habakkuk's name means "to embrace or to wrestle," which is fitting as he grapples with God over the injustices he sees around him.
Habakkuk's story is set around 600 B.C., just before Jerusalem is destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. He questions why God would use a more wicked nation, Babylon, to punish His own people. This doesn't seem fair to Habakkuk, and he voices his frustrations openly to God. We learned that it's okay to question and wrestle with God; even wrestling is a form of intimacy. This wrestling can lead to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God, even if it means walking with a limp, as Jacob did after wrestling with God.
We also discussed the concept of the "dip" or crisis of belief, a period where our faith is severely tested. During these times, it's crucial to hold on to God and lean into our faith, even when it feels like our prayers are going unanswered. The New Testament teaches us that these trials can lead to spiritual maturity, making us complete and needing nothing.
Finally, I shared a personal story about a crisis of belief my wife and I experienced 20 years ago. We faced a difficult decision and felt abandoned by God when things didn't go as we had hoped. However, this painful experience eventually led us to start OneChurch.TV, a church for people who have been hurt by the church. Through this journey, we learned that God is most present in our pain and struggles, and that holding on to Him through the dips can lead to a deeper, more resilient faith.
### Key Takeaways
1. It's Okay to Question God: Habakkuk shows us that it's okay to bring our doubts and frustrations to God. Even prophets questioned God openly, and this questioning can lead to a deeper relationship with Him. Wrestling with God is a form of intimacy, and He welcomes our honest conversations. [22:05]
2. The Dip in Faith: Every Christian will experience a "dip" or crisis of belief, where their faith is severely tested. During these times, it's crucial to hold on to God and lean into your faith, even when it feels like your prayers are going unanswered. This is a natural part of the faith journey. [36:47]
3. Spiritual Maturity Through Trials: The New Testament teaches that trials and tribulations can lead to spiritual maturity. James tells us that when our faith is tested, our endurance grows, making us mature and complete, needing nothing. Spiritual maturity is not about knowing it all but enduring through faith. [39:45]
4. God is Present in Our Pain: A.W. Tozer said, "It is doubtful that God can use anyone greatly until he has hurt them deeply." Our pain is not where God is absent but where He is most present. These difficult times can lead to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. [41:27]
5. Community Support: During a crisis of belief, having a supportive community around you is essential. When you can't see God working in your life, you might see Him working in others' lives. This mutual encouragement can help you hold on to your faith during tough times. [36:47]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[20:15] - The Tough Questions We Ask
[22:05] - It's Okay to Question God
[24:25] - Introduction to Habakkuk
[25:52] - Personal Struggles and Doubts
[27:06] - Context of Habakkuk
[28:28] - God's Discipline Through Babylon
[29:52] - Meaning of Habakkuk's Name
[30:34] - Wrestling with God
[31:19] - The Crisis of Belief
[32:16] - The Dip in Faith
[33:35] - The Gap Between Expectation and Experience
[35:14] - Personal Faith Journey
[36:47] - Importance of Community
[38:14] - Spiritual Maturity Through Trials
[39:45] - God is Present in Our Pain
[41:27] - Personal Story of Crisis and Faith
[50:04] - Founding OneChurch.TV
[51:33] - Permission to Struggle with Faith
[53:11] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Habakkuk 1:2-4 (NIV): "How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, 'Violence!' but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted."
2. James 1:2-4 (NIV): "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
### Observation Questions
1. What are the main questions Habakkuk asks God in Habakkuk 1:2-4?
2. According to James 1:2-4, what is the purpose of facing trials and how should we respond to them?
3. In the sermon, what personal story did the pastor share about his own crisis of belief? ([41:27])
4. How does the pastor describe the concept of "wrestling with God" and its significance? ([30:34])
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Habakkuk felt that God was not listening to his cries for help? How does this reflect our own feelings during difficult times?
2. How does James 1:2-4 redefine the way we should view trials and tribulations in our lives?
3. What does the pastor mean when he says that wrestling with God is a form of intimacy? How can this change our perspective on questioning God? ([30:34])
4. How did the pastor's personal story illustrate the idea that God is present in our pain? What lessons can we draw from his experience? ([41:27])
### Application Questions
1. Have you ever felt like Habakkuk, questioning why God seems silent during your struggles? How did you handle those feelings, and what did you learn from that experience? ([26:30])
2. James 1:2-4 encourages us to find joy in trials because they produce perseverance. Can you think of a recent trial you faced? How did it help you grow spiritually?
3. The pastor mentioned that wrestling with God can lead to a deeper relationship with Him. Is there a current struggle or question you have that you need to bring to God honestly? ([30:34])
4. Reflect on a time when you experienced a "dip" or crisis of belief. How did you hold on to your faith during that period, and what role did your community play in supporting you? ([36:47])
5. The pastor shared a personal story about feeling abandoned by God but eventually finding a deeper faith. How can you apply this lesson to a current or past situation where you felt let down by God? ([41:27])
6. How can you support someone in your community who is currently experiencing a crisis of belief? What practical steps can you take to be there for them?
7. The sermon emphasized that God is most present in our pain. How can you remind yourself of this truth during your next challenging situation? ([39:45])
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing Doubts and Questions
It's okay to bring your doubts and frustrations to God. Even prophets questioned God openly, and this questioning can lead to a deeper relationship with Him. Wrestling with God is a form of intimacy, and He welcomes our honest conversations. Habakkuk, whose name means "to embrace or to wrestle," exemplifies this as he grapples with God over the injustices he sees around him. This wrestling can lead to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God, even if it means walking with a limp, as Jacob did after wrestling with God. [22:05]
Habakkuk 1:2-3 (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."
Reflection: What are some doubts or frustrations you have been hesitant to bring to God? Can you take a moment today to honestly present them to Him in prayer?
Day 2: Navigating the Dip in Faith
Every Christian will experience a "dip" or crisis of belief, where their faith is severely tested. During these times, it's crucial to hold on to God and lean into your faith, even when it feels like your prayers are going unanswered. This is a natural part of the faith journey. The story of Habakkuk shows us that even when we don't understand God's ways, we can still trust in His character and His promises. [36:47]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Think about a time when your faith was tested. How did you respond? What can you do today to strengthen your faith during challenging times?
Day 3: Growing Through Trials
The New Testament teaches that trials and tribulations can lead to spiritual maturity. James tells us that when our faith is tested, our endurance grows, making us mature and complete, needing nothing. Spiritual maturity is not about knowing it all but enduring through faith. These trials are opportunities for growth, shaping us into the people God wants us to be. [39:45]
1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV): "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Reflection: What current trial are you facing that could be an opportunity for spiritual growth? How can you shift your perspective to see it as a chance to mature in your faith?
Day 4: Finding God in Our Pain
A.W. Tozer said, "It is doubtful that God can use anyone greatly until he has hurt them deeply." Our pain is not where God is absent but where He is most present. These difficult times can lead to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. When we are in pain, we often feel abandoned, but it is in these moments that God is closest to us, working in ways we may not immediately see. [41:27]
Psalm 34:18 (ESV): "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."
Reflection: Reflect on a painful experience in your life. How did you see God working in that situation, even if it was only in hindsight? How can this perspective help you in current or future struggles?
Day 5: The Importance of Community Support
During a crisis of belief, having a supportive community around you is essential. When you can't see God working in your life, you might see Him working in others' lives. This mutual encouragement can help you hold on to your faith during tough times. Being part of a faith community provides the support and encouragement needed to navigate life's challenges. [36:47]
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Reflection: Who in your faith community can you reach out to for support during difficult times? How can you also be a source of encouragement for someone else today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Why do bad things happen? Where's God when bad things happen? If God is in control, why does everything seem so out of control? Why would a powerful, almighty God allow evil in the world? Why is it when I work hard and I'm honest and then I can't seem to pay the bills and you got this jerk at work who steals and cuts corners and all this stuff and they are just rolling in it?" [20:15] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "I've been a Christian for over 40 years. And it seems like the older I get and the more I know about God, the more questions I have. And what does that do to your faith? What does that do to your security and just knowing what is really going on? So that's what we're going to be talking about, some light things in this series, some things that honestly all of us struggle with, because what we're going to see is that God isn't afraid of your questions." [22:05] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When you embrace somebody, when you wrestle with somebody, it's a form of intimacy. Because you can't wrestle with somebody you're not touching. And we're gonna see through this book of Habakkuk that Habakkuk is wrestling with God. And even through his anger, his frustration, him asking questions, that even the wrestling, wrestling with God is a form of intimacy. And God allows that." [30:34] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "When life is unfair, complain and doubt. God gives you that permission to complain and doubt, but do what church? Hold on to God. Habakkuk to God. Wrestle with God. Embrace God. It's during these critical times that things just blow up in our faces. What do you do with God? Do you walk away from God? Do you walk away from faith? Or do you lean in to faith?" [37:14] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "One of the things we're going to see through this series is your pain is not where God is absent, but it's where he is most present. I love how A.W. Tozer, he's a pastor from long years ago. He simply said it this way. It is doubtful that God can use anyone greatly until he has hurt them deeply. Why? Because God is developing your character." [39:45] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Habakkuk is a guy who has some serious questions. I've asked the same question that Habakkuk asked. Why doesn't God seem fair? This book is a very, very important book to Kim and I. Because we learned some really powerful things in this book in some of our darkest days of being married over the past 30 years, and darkest days in ministry that I'm going to share with you today. And I got angry at God. I got frustrated at God." [25:52] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Habakkuk discovered a gap between what he expected from God and what he was experiencing from God. Habakkuk, he discovered there was a gap between what he expected from God and what he experienced with God. And let me tell you, you will too. You will too. Let me use this diagram up here, and it's a diagram called the dip. All of us, if you are a Christian, if you are a Christian, there is that moment where you trust in God." [34:14] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Here's our big idea today. When life is unfair, complain and doubt. God gives you that permission to complain and doubt, but do what church? Hold on to God. Habakkuk to God. Wrestle with God. Embrace God. It's during these critical times that things just blow up in our faces. What do you do with God? Do you walk away from God? Do you walk away from faith? Or do you lean in to faith?" [37:14] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Spiritual maturity isn't so much about what you know, but it's about how enduring your faith is. And James is saying that being a mature Christian isn't about knowing it all, that spiritual maturity is found in the fact that when life happens, you don't buckle and you don't cave. You're able to not stand independent and stand strong. No, no, no. You lean on God and he will hold you." [39:45] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We started One Church. A church for people who don't go to church. A people who've been hurt by the church. And that's how our church got started. It got started from the pain in my anger with God. And let me tell you, it took months of counseling, both Kim and I together and separately, to be able to get to the point where I'm on talking turns with God again. I never did doubt that he didn't exist. I always knew that. But man, I struggle with my faith." [50:04] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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