What Is My Response In An "even Though" Moment Series

Introduction:

Last week, we began our new series "Even Though" by looking at Jeremiah's "even though" moment. Jeremiah is looking around at his beloved Israel and the damage done by the Babylonian invasion. Property has been destroyed, friends have been killed and others have been taken into exile. At a time like this, it is easy to develop bitterness about the situation, toward the Babylonian for what they did and toward God for what He didn't do- stop the invasion. Instead, he forced his mind to recall the greatness of His God. And Jeremiah taught us that even though things are bad, we don't have to become bitter, we can rise above them by focusing on our God.

Today, we are going to move deeper into the Old Testament to the fifth book from the end of the Old Testament to a man named Habakkuk. He lived about 600 B.C., and he would be a contemporary with Jeremiah and he too would experience the invasion of Judah by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. Habakkuk is going to teach us what not to do in those "even though" moments.

You ask what are those "even though" moments? It is when the situation that is starring you in the face is not good, but you can find strength in that situation because of God. We all are familiar with Psalm 23:4. David says that he is walking though the Valley of Death, even on my worse day, I don't want to be in that situation, but David is there. And although he has every right to be sad, upset, he finds comfort in God. That is an "even though" moment David experienced.

So, back to Habakkuk and what he teaches us not to do in those "even though" moments. We will be looking at Habakkuk 3:16-19. Please stand for the reading of God's Word.

Scripture:

Habakkuk 3:16-19 (NKJV) 16 When I heard, my body trembled; My lips quivered at the voice; Rottenness entered my bones; And I trembled in myself, That I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up to the people, He will invade them with his troops. 17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls-- 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.

Point #1

When I am hit with an "even though" moment, the proper response is not to lash out to God in anger.

17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls-- 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD

I know some guys that would get angry at their spouse when they come home from work and food is not on the table. No matter that the wife had to take care of a sick child today and do a hundred other things around the house and run a couple of errands for her husband. He is home, there is no food on the table, and he is angry.

So, it is not that far of a stretch for me to think, if the field is not bringing in a harvest and the livestock stalls are empty, there will be some angry people and most likely that anger will be directed toward God.

And that angry will be directed at God for one main reason. God did not do what I expected Him to do. I expected Him to fill my fields with crops, I expected Him to fill my trees with fruit, and I expected Him to keep my stalls full of livestock. It does not matter that he sent a prophet to me like the Prophet Habakkuk to tell me if I don't turn away from sin, judgment is going to come to the house of Israel.

The Bible is full of stories of people who got angry at God because God did not do what they expected Him to do. There is Job's wife who got accustomed to a certain lifestyle. One day, we know the story that God allowed Satan to test them. And immediately, the devil took away all the things that she had valued. The lifestyle she treasured was gone, and she was angry at God, and she tried to convince her husband to be angry at God also and die. But Job said, you foolish women, do I only accept the good from God and not the bad.