The life of faith includes receiving, submitting, trusting, depending, obeying … and waiting.
Waiting is a great challenge. Habakkuk was a waiting prophet in Judah. Israel had already been taken captive by the Assyrians in 722 BC, and now Judah awaited the coming judgment of God. The book of Habbakuk deals with the anxious prophet. As he was confronted with the ongoing wickedness in Judah, he was perplexed. He wondered when the Lord would bring the promised judgment. And so, his book reveals a “conversation” with God. First, Habakkuk complained to God. Second, the LORD answered with the promise of Babylonian captivity. Third, Habakkuk stated his objections about the ways of the LORD. And fourth, the LORD admonished and exhorted the prophet with the statement,
“Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith” (Habbakuk 2:4).
The LORD also pronounced five “woes” upon the Babylonians because He was going to judge the wicked. Finally, the rebuked prophet submitted to the will of God and professed his faith in the Lord in a final prayer.
All of this is important for us to observe. Everyone who lives by faith is waiting on the LORD. We are waiting for His return, His work of holiness in our lives, and His provision to meet our many needs. The life of faith involves a life of prayer. And, the life of prayer involves a life of waiting upon God. This is the reason the LORD told Habakkuk that the just shall live by faith. This faith must always look to God for His provision with an attitude of submission to the will and word of God. We must know the LORD so that we are absolutely confident in His promises. What He promises He will provide! He is the God of infinite faithfulness to His word. He will never fail to provide for His people as we wait upon Him.
The present Christian life provides opportunity for us to live looking to the Lord. He has revealed His nature and proclaimed His word so that we will confidently wait for the LORD’s provision in our lives. So be encouraged in your faith to wait upon the LORD God Almighty in prayer. Be full of faith in the presence of the impossible things of this life knowing that all things are possible with Him. Live by faith!