Help in Unsettled Times
- Jennifer Wake
- 10 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Help for Unsettled Times
"Unsettled times" is a nice way to say what is happening right now. The government shutdown, protests, riots, National Guard troops in cities, and wars around the world all cause us to worry and fear. We fear the future, going outside, meeting new people, and so much more.
In April of 1995, we witnessed the most significant act of domestic terrorism in the United States. In the Oklahoma City bombing, 168 people lost their lives, including 19 children. In a split second, 30 children were orphaned, over 200 children lost one parent, and many more lost their homes.[1] The days after this terrible tragedy in Oklahoma City were filled with the search for the people responsible. People lived in fear of going to work and leaving their kids in case another attack happened.
Unsettled times can lead Christians to stay home, immobilized with anxiety, which causes them to focus inward. We can learn much from the prophets in the Old Testament.
Habakkuk was a prophet alongside Jeremiah, Nahum, and Zephaniah. The people of Israel had lost their national life and religious center due to invasions. They believed their material prosperity would continue forever. The riches of the world replaced God’s sovereignty in their lives.
Due to rapid political change, international turmoil, and rebellion against religion, the people did not know whom to trust. Sounds a lot like 1995 or even today.
Enter the prophet Habakkuk, a man of great faith and courage who stands up against rampant false teachings and flawed prophecies. He spent time with God and had experienced His faithfulness in hard times. His life was one of reverence, marked by the search for truth.
The book of Habakkuk is a record of wrestling with God to understand the hard questions of life. He asked God questions and received answers. After the first few chapters focus on understanding, Habakkuk turns to prayer. The entire third chapter is his prayer; some scholars say it may even qualify as a psalm, a sacred poem or song meant to be accompanied by instruments for worship.
The book ends with Habakkuk rejoicing in the Lord. He calls Him Jehovah Adonai, which means the Sovereign Lord. This term is used in several Psalms.
Verse 19 ends with great faith and trust in the Lord during times of strife and chaos. God promises to carry him through life. It is a promise we can hold onto as the world crashes around us.
Jehovah Adonai (Sovereign Lord) is my strength!
He makes me swift and sure-footed as a deer
and enables me to stride over my high places.
Habakkuk 3:19
Habakkuk 3:19 gives us four promises for living in unsettled times.
God is in control. Jehovah Adonai, our Lord is Sovereign, is in control. He created and sustains everything. Trust in Him. Do not trust in money or the world. Instead, trust in the One who controls everything.
He will give us strength. God does not promise an easy, prosperous life. Jesus promised trials for his followers. We live in unsettled times, but God will give us strength to overcome.
Habakkuk echoed the sentiment we read in Psalm 18:33, reminding us that God created us like swift, sure-footed deer. (He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. Psalm 18:33) We can trust in His faithfulness to protect us in every experience. He will give us energy and lead us on paths to help people during unsettled times.
Peace and rest come from Elohim Adonai. As we spend time in His Word, we learn to rest and draw on peace which passes all understanding.
It is an excellent end to a book that reminds us we can share our hearts with God. He wants to strengthen us and grow our faith. We can gather our energy and focus and step out to follow God. He does not want us to avoid people. They need to hear the love of God and the redemption of Jesus. This is part of history, it is part of His story (HIStory) for the world.
Habakkuk also gave us several activities to help us during these times.
● Pray. Habakkuk shared all his questions and thoughts with God. We can do that through prayers. One way is to keep a prayer journal. A great prayer journal is Rachel Wojo's “Praying the Promises of God.”
● Study God’s names. We can turn to the Scriptures for different names of God. Habakkuk called out to Jehovah Adonai, who is found in the Psalms. Subscribe, and I will send the ones I have seen in the Psalms. For other names, check out my two books, Call Signs and He is Jehovah.
● Build Community. Look for people around you to help you. We can encourage other believers and share our faith with people who don’t yet know Jesus. When you look around, do you see unsettled times, or do you see people who need a Savior? Leave me a comment, I would love to pray for them.
Prayer: Elohim Adonai, our sovereign Lord, give us your strength and eyes to see what You are doing. Guide us as we follow your plans. Give us peace and rest when we are tired. Remind us that You are in control and not the world. Let us share the Good News with everyone around us. Amen.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
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