“O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!”
The Fog
Habakkuk names something worth taking seriously here, crying and not hearing, worth holding as honest complaint, not merely private doubt, but this described, genuine accusation spoken directly to God, thou wilt not hear, worth examining whether this kind of directness has felt permitted in your own prayer.
This is worth holding as this book’s continued pattern, an entire book of prophecy opening with this exact complaint, worth trusting as scripture’s own genuine inclusion of this kind of honest, even accusatory prayer, not softened or hedged, but spoken directly, as Habakkuk actually, genuinely felt it.
Notice this whole book of Habakkuk eventually arrives at genuine, hard-won trust, worth holding as needed hope that this honest complaint was not the final word, but was, genuinely, the actual, necessary beginning this whole book required before that eventual trust could genuinely, honestly develop.
Whatever crying out you have done that has felt genuinely unheard, bring this same direct complaint to God today, following Habakkuk’s own honest example, trusting that this beginning, however accusatory it may feel, is where genuine, hard-won trust can actually, eventually begin to grow.
Walk Through the Fog
- Bring your own honest complaint to God today, as directly as Habakkuk brought his.
- Notice whether you have softened or hedged prayers that deserved this same directness.
- Trust that this honest complaint can be the actual beginning of hard-won, genuine trust.
Prayer
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? Let me bring this honest complaint directly to you, trusting it as the beginning, not the end, of genuine trust. Amen.
Carry this today
Honest, even accusatory complaint can be the necessary beginning of hard-won, genuine trust.