The just one, because of his faith, shall live

In the reading today the prophet Habakkuk is discouraged.  He is despairing and losing his faith.  Things are not unfolding as expected so he complains to God.  He implores God in the midst of a terrible situation, full of violence, strife and oppression.

God doesn’t do as Habakkuk asks, getting rid of the violence and strife.  Though these continue, the words of God greatly encourage the prophet, reminding him to hold on to his faith and to be patient:  “The vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, and it will not be late.  The rash one has no integrity; but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.

In the midst of turmoil, God asks for faithfulness, for patience and for integrity.  In the midst of turmoil, the appropriate response is faith, to trust that God is in control.

But this is so difficult!  We like to resolve problems immediately and resolve them our way.  We like to have control.  We want things to be dealt with efficiently.  It is difficult to wait while God’s plan unfolds.  It is difficult to keep our faith in God strong when things don’t go as we hoped.  We despair, blame God and some even consult mediums that take their hard-earned money in attempts to uncover secret information or to control situations.

Our desire to control situations and to control others, I believe, is the root of much anger, anxiety and depression.  God invites us to trust, to have faith in Him.  We don’t want to trust, we want to control.  This desire to ‘be like God’ and to control leaves us so unhappy because this desire will never be satisfied. It leads to anger, anxiety and depression.

We can kick and scream all we want, but the reality remains that we only have control over very few things.  We must recognize what few things we can control and allow God to take care of the rest.  Then we can say, “we are unprofitable servants; we have done all we were obliged to do.”

There are no words more liberating than these: “Lord, I have done everything I can do, though limited; you take care of the rest because I can’t.”  There is no prayer more liberating than the serenity prayer, “ God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

Why allow anxiety infect our minds?  Why allow anger disturb our peace?  Why allow depression crush the joy that comes from placing our faith in God?  God wants us to let go and be free.

All of us, we are God’s servants.  Our duty is to accept and do His will each day of our lives.  Like the servant in the Gospel passage who was ready to serve his master even after a long day at work, we too must be ready at all times to serve God.

We do not need to know the big picture nor do we need to have everything figured out to be faithful servants.  A faithful servant lives one day at a time, trusting that his master will lead him to the correct destination.  One day at a time God’s plan for our lives unfolds.  If I do not know what will happen tomorrow, it’s OK, as long as I am being faithful today.  If I am faithful today, when tomorrow comes I will also be faithful then.

We must not be like Habakkuk who grew discouraged and despaired, on the other hand, we are called to trust, to have faith, that one day at a time God’s plan will unfold and that we will see greater things than a mulberry tree being uprooted and planted in the sea.

God works slowly but surely.  Over time, mountains move.  Over time, hearts are changed.

We must place our trust in our merciful God who has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but rather of power, love and self-control.  We must trust that his plan or vision presses on to fulfillment and will not disappoint.  If it delays, we must wait patiently, for it will surely come and it will not be late.  All in His time and in His manner.

Pictures are mine, all rights reserved