Living Life in a Troublesome World:

Learning From Habakkuk

July 12, 2026

Habakkuk 1:1-1-4;13; 2:2-4; 3:17-19

A man broke his arm because of various difficulties. Here is how he tells the story. It started when his wife brought some potted plants inside that had been out on the patio all day. A garter snake had hidden in one of the pots and later slithered out across the floor where the wife had spotted it. I was in the bathtub when I heard her scream. I thought my wife was murdered, so I jumped out to help her. I was in such a hurry, I failed to even grab a towel. When I ran into the living room, she yelled that a snake was under the couch. I got down on my hand and knees to look for it, and my dog came up from behind me and cold-nosed me. I guess I thought it was the snake and fainted. My wife thought I’d had a heart attack and called for an ambulance. I was still groggy when the ambulance arrived, so the medics lifted me onto a stretcher. When they were carrying me out, the snake came out from under the couch and frightened one of the medics. He dropped his end of the stretcher, and that’s when I broke my arm.

Today, the snake, Satan, is still causing havoc in this world. We live in a troubled world as it seems like the world is on the brink of war. This might be tomorrow, next week or next year. As I have noted in the past, in this world there is war and preparation for war. That is the history of humankind.

We also live in a troubled world economically. More than a quarter of US adults say they are struggling financially. Prices have gone up. Plus, our national debt is out of control.

Many societies are experiencing a rapid increase in the amount and severity of wickedness. Violence, greed, corruption, fraud, lying, brutality, use of drugs, sexual immorality in many forms, and other sins are seemingly more accepted and commonplace than ever.

Yesterday, I read an article of a couple in Brazil being arrested and sentenced to 50 days in prison because they did not teach their 15- and 11-year-old homeschool daughters about "gender and sex education" and "tolerance and diversity" in the curriculum for their daughters. An independent evaluation even concluded that the girls showed no signs of neglect and were thriving socially and academically (Article: Brazilian couple sentenced to 50 days for homeschooling daughters | Fox News).

This is just one example of the increase of wickedness in this world.

There are often issues or trouble personally. Maybe there is trouble in your marriage, trouble in your job, difficulty in your home, trouble in dealing with the loss of a loved one, the trouble of loneliness, the trouble of fear or worry, the trouble of overcoming an addiction, the trouble of depression, the trouble of feeling loved. This is to name just a few.

So, today, I want us to take a brief look at the book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk lived in a troublesome world. So, let’s look.

Habakkuk writes chapter 1:2-4, How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 3 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. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

Habakkuk lived at a time when his people were sinful/acted wickedly against the Lord and one another. So, he cries out to the Lord to do something! He asks the Lord, How long will he not listen?” Then he says in a sense, Why don’t you do something Lord?

Now, Habakkuk lived and prophesied during the days of King Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim was a godless, bloody, tyrant. II Kings 24:4 notes this about Jehoiakim, Including the shedding of innocent blood. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord was not willing to forgive.

The prophet, Jeremiah, condemned him for idolatry, oppression, and injustice, including forced labor for his palace and disregard for righteousness (Jeremiah 22:13–17). Jehoiakim was also known for his rebellion against Babylon, and his strong opposition to the prophet Jeremiah. He hated the prophet Jeremiah as he burnt his scrolls and had him imprisoned. No wonder Habakkuk cried out, “Violence.” “Justice is perverted.”

In verses, 5-11, God tells Habakkuk what he is doing. He informs Habakkuk that he is doing something amazing. He is raising the Babylonians to seize Jerusalem and the southern kingdom.

And again, Habakkuk expresses his feelings to God about this. Habakkuk responds as he writes in verses 12 and 13, Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish. 13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

Habakkuk asked questions like, God, are you sure you know what you are doing? God, is there any hope? God, why not just send a revival among your people? Habakkuk pleaded with God to act in a manner consistent with His nature. Surely a holy and loving God would protect His people from an even more wicked nation.

The Babylonians were known for their ruthless, impetuous, wicked atrocities against all enemies. The Babylonians had already taken control of the Northern Kingdom, Israel. Now they were about to attack the southern kingdom, Judah, including Jerusalem.

Here is the first living life in troublesome times principle: Express your feelings to God! Wrestle/struggle with Him!

As I read the Bible, I see many of the great people of the Bible wrestling with God. Many of the Psalms were written because of unresolved questions in the psalmist’s life. Job wrestled with God over the loss of his family, his wealth and health. He invites us to come and struggle with Him.

Humankinds’ problem is we don’t want to go to the effort of struggling with God. Too many just give up and blame the Lord. They write Him off as being unfair or unconcerned. In contrast, the great people of the Bible express their feelings, demanded justice, but do not give up and walk away.

For example, David expresses his pain in Psalm 6. He writes, 2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. 3 My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long? 4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. 5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name. Who praises you from the grave? 6 I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. 7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes (Psalm 6:2-7). If you read verses 8-10, after crying out to the Lord, David is assured the Lord will deliver him.

Sadly, so many say things like, If there is a God, how could he let so many bad things happen? Why does God allow those who are evil to prosper? Why do innocent people get killed by drunk drivers? Why does a person hijack an airplane and crash into a building killing thousands? Why isn’t life fair?

Listen, it is okay/even emotionally healthy to question, complain, wrestle with the Lord. Just don’t give up!

At the beginning of chapter 2, we learn Habakkuk climbs the watchtower of the city to watch, waiting to see what God will say in response to his prayer.

Then in Hab. 2:2 and following, God shows up with a profound answer. Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay (Habakkuk 2:2, 3).

These words tell Habakkuk that the invasion from Babylon is certain. But then God lifts his head to see the real issue at stake. Habakkuk 2:4, See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his by faith/faithfulness!

The real issue is the state of everyone’s heart before God, and there are only two states we can find ourselves in. Wicked men and women have souls that are proud, mired in self-centeredness, self-confidence, and doomed to a woeful existence. In contrast, the righteous person lives by faith, in humble submission to Him.

Here is the second principle of living life in troublesome times. Live by faith-faith in Jesus Christ. TRUST HIM!!

This little verse is the thesis for the book of Romans. In the theme verses of Romans 1:16,17, the Apostle Paul quotes this principle. For I am not ashamed of the gospel...for in it the righteousness of God is revealed by faith from first to last; as it is written, “The righteous will live by faith.”

We need to live by faith! TRUST HIM! Trusting him means resting from all our anxieties. Trusting him means letting him lead us through the valley of deep darkness. Trusting him means resting in him that He will live life through us if we let him, even when the world has gone mad. We must remind ourselves that our dependency is upon Him. We must humble ourselves, seek His face, and trust Him!

God has not promised believers or nations lives without pain and tragedy, but He has promised a hand to hold onto us as we faithfully walk through the difficulties/the tragedies of life. As Romans 15:13, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

One night a house caught fire, and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. The boy could only see flames, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters.

In these troublesome days, you may not be able to see the Lord, but the Lord can still see you. In your time of tragedy, you may not be able to see the Lord, but the Lord can still see you, and that's all that matters. Trust Him!

In the rest of chapter 2, God goes on to tell Habakkuk in a sense not to worry about the Babylonians. It is true that I have purer eyes than to behold evil and it is also true that I am raising up this people to judge the nation of Israel, but in turn I will judge the Babylonians.

The Lord describes the Babylonians as being prideful, not upright (v. 4a). What’s more, these arrogant Babylonians are betrayed by all their wine, for it is treacherous. In their greed they have collected many nations, but like death and hell, they are never satisfied (v. 5 TLB).

Then the Lord pronounces five woes on these people/Babylonians. Verse 2:6b notes, Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion. In other words, woe to the person who lives by the philosophy, “I will get everything I can, and it doesn’t matter how I do it.”

Verse 9, Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain, to set his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin.

Verse 12, “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and establishes a town by injustice! In other words, woe to those who trust in violence to achieve what they want. In Hitler's days of power, he made the statement, "What if we lose 100,000 men, if we get what we want, that is all that matters."

Then verses 13, 14 states, Has not the Lord Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing? 14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. There’s a day coming when the whole earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord. So, the Lord encourages and gives hope to Habakkuk as justice will be served as one day He will come in all his glory!

Verse 15, 16 then says, Woe to you for making your neighboring lands reel and stagger like drunkards beneath your blows and then gloating over their nakedness and shame. 16 Soon your own glory will be replaced by shame. Drink down God’s judgment on yourselves. Stagger and fall (TLB).

Verse 19, Woe to the person who trusts in false gods, who thinks that the forces around him are able to control him, give him life and fulfill his desires. The Babylonians would stop at nothing to acquire wealth and expand their kingdom, and they would allow nothing, or no one to stand in their way. They took over people, places and possessions that did not belong to them.

However, God warns and promises that the victors would one day become the victims. Of course, this happened when the Medes and the Persians invaded Babylon and overthrew Belshazzar in Daniel 5. Babylon had plundered many nations, and as a result, she herself was plundered. Simply put, she would reap what she had sown.

Then the Lord says in verse 20, The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.

Here I think of Psalm 46:10, where the Psalmist declared, Be still, and know that I am God. If we do, then we proclaim as the Psalmist said in Psalm 46:1-7, God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Here’s the third living life in troublesome times principle: Be silent/still and know that He is God! Take to heart that God is Sovereign and in control. He is holy and just. He is coming in all His glory to execute justice!

As a Christian, we live in great hope and anticipation of the Lord’s return (Philippians 3:20). It will be a great and awesome day. As Revelation 21:3-8 notes, God will be with you and be your God. He will wipe every tear from your eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away… But for those who are wicked, the cowardly the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have hope for God is Sovereign, holy, just, and full of love toward those who know Him!

In Habakkuk chapter 3, the prophet concludes with a remarkable prayer. He began this book by saying, “Lord, why don’t you do something.” Now he says in verse 2, Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.

Then the Prophet looks back to God’s action in Egypt when Israel was in trouble and remembers how God moved.

Then he concludes verse 16, I tremble when I hear all this; my lips quiver with fear. My legs give way beneath me, and I shake in terror. I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon the people who invade us.

He sees the problem and he knows it is coming. The fearsomeness of it grips him, and he feels the pressure. But that is not all. He adds.

Habakkuk 3:17-19, Even though the fig trees are all destroyed, and there is neither blossom left nor fruit; though the olive crops all fail, and the fields lie barren; even if the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be happy in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength; he will give me the speed of a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.

Habakkuk sees a horrific time unfold, yet even amid the difficulties, he rejoices in the Lord. Why? It is because Habakkuk begins to see things from an eternal perspective. As a result, he could say, The Lord God is my strength!

This is a great secret of a Christian. Not that God takes the problem away, but that he will deliver us beyond this sick, sinful, death stinking world. As Jesus said, In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, take heart, I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

Sadly, one of the Satan’s most useful schemes is to keep Christians focusing on their problems, the troubles of this world, rather realizing /having the perspective that Jesus offers hope, inner strength through the trial and the assured promise of eternal life in His kingdom!

Here is last principle of living life in troublesome times that we learn from Habakkuk. Put on an eternal perspective! Stand in awe and rejoice in the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY! He is your strength for He has overcome the world!

The good news for you is that if you belong to Jesus, it matters not how bleak, how burdened, or how bewildered you may be, thanks be to God, you are on the winning side. Jesus has already fought the battle, and He has already won the war.

In the book, God's Power to Triumph, by James Adair, the story is told of Helen Kehn. Helen had been sheltered by her family all her life. She was the youngest of 5 children. She had never known what it was like to be alone, because her family was always together. They worked together, played together, sang together, and went to church together. They were always together. Over time, her parents, her brother and 3 sisters all passed away. She suddenly found herself in an empty house. Now, there was no one. For a few weeks, she stayed with a niece. But the time came when she had to leave and return to her home. She said that she sat in the driveway for the longest time, dreading to walk into the large, empty house. Finally, she mustered up enough courage to walk up the driveway and put the key into the door. She opened the door and walked into that house, for the first time, all alone. As she walked inside, she prayed, "O God, please help me!" One of the first things she did was to go turn on the radio so sound could fill those large, empty rooms. She walked over to the closet, to hang up her coat, when suddenly, from the radio, she heard the words:

No, never alone.

He promised never to leave me,

Never to leave me alone.

It was the Old-Fashioned Revival Quartet singing the hymn, No, Never Alone. Helen said, "To me, it was the very voice of God in answer to the cry of my heart. I realized, as never before, that my Lord was right there with me and that I was never alone." She continued, "All of my life I had depended on my family for companionship, but from that moment on, I learned to depend on Him."

May you find the Lord God as your refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble for He is with you!