What do you do when the Unthinkable occurs?
This past Tuesday in America, many people went to bed terrified that they would awaken to the Unthinkable. They were afraid that the person that they hoped to see in leadership would not win, and that they would arise to the dawning of a world that they could not imagine.
Almost half of those people were right; they awakened to circumstances that was, for them, Unthinkable.
So, let me to repeat my question… what do you do when the Unthinkable becomes your reality? When your grim imaginings, conceived in darkness, emerge fully formed in the clear light of day; what is your response?
How do you live with that which is undesired; how do you make peace when the thing that you dread makes an appearance? What is your response to a God who allows the thing that you so mightily prayed against?
About That Life
There’s a name for these circumstantial occurrences when Unthinkable things happen; it’s called, “Life.” Life is what happens when “Dreams” are not realized, and when hopes fade into the chilling wake of a stream of unanswered prayers. And one thing is for sure, Life happens! You can be sure that things will not go as planned, most dreams will not come true, and Unthinkable things will happen… to you!
The question is, what do you do? Will you stop hoping and believing when things go sideways and Life starts… well, Life-ing?
This is the quandary that confronted the Prophet Habakkuk back in the 7th Century BCE. After complaining to God about the brokenness and failure within his community, Habakkuk was shocked to discover that God intended to use the despised nation of Babylon to fix the problem. While he readily acknowledged the need for correction, the prophet had serious misgivings about God using Babylon to do the correcting. The Babylonians were destructive, merciless and idolatrous – and as such, much worse than the people they were being sent to correct!
To Habakkuk, this was Unthinkable!
So, the prophet took God to task, asking –
“Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” (Habakkuk 1:13).
This little book, from this relatively obscure prophet, is a real primer on how to deal with the Unthinkable. Habakkuk’s already unsavory and violent world became even worse to him when God allowed the Unthinkable to stand as the Acceptable. Let’s examine how he worked through it.
Learning To Question God
Of all of the bad religious advice ever offered, at the top of the list (for me) is the old adage, “you shouldn’t question God!” This counsel is normally given in hushed, sanctimonious tones by well-meaning church moms and aunties, and proceeded by endearing appellations like, “baby”, or “child…” Basically, this advice suggests that to question God when the Unthinkable happens is irreverent at best, and faithless at worst.
The fact is that almost everyone who ever got anywhere with God started out by asking God questions! When promised a great legacy and lineage, Abraham asked God, “what will You give me, seeing I go childless?” When Moses was commissioned to confront the enslaving nation of Egypt he asked God, “who am I?”; and then followed it up by asking God, “who are YOU?” (Exodus 3:11, 13). When the blessed virgin was told that she was to conceive a child that would save the world, she asked “how can this be?” (Luke 1:34).
Asking God questions is the best way to delve deeper into the mystery of God’s purposes, and to learn more of God’s intentions and methods. When Habakkuk asked God his question(s), God didn’t rebuff him; instead, God revealed more about the Divine plans and intentions (chapter 2). In response to his question the inquiring prophet learned that things might develop slowly, but that they would develop certainly (2:3). More importantly, Habakkuk learned that faithfulness would be required (vs 4). He discovered these things – and more – because he asked!
While the idea of questioning God should never be a pretext to escape obedience, nor to impeach the character of God, there is still much to be gained by prayerfully inquiring of God. In times past, God allowed certain individuals (with questionable characters) to be elevated to positions of power for specific purposes. For example:
– Pharaoh was allowed to rule so that God might get glory through him (Exodus 14:4).
– Manasseh, a wicked king, was allowed to reign for purposes that allowed for his redemption and the reform of the nation (2 Chronicles 33)
– Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria was used by God specifically to chastise the people of God (Isaiah 7:20).
Understanding the purpose and/or intentions of God in elevating a leader will help God’s people to better cooperate with, and participate in, the will of God. Added to that, it makes it easier to endure the presence of a leader who may be otherwise… Unthinkable.
Focusing on God’s Sovereignty
Upon realizing that God was allowing the unthinkable, Habakkuk’s anxiety was aroused.
“O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid…” (3:2), said the Prophet, thereby acknowledging that at times what God allows can be disturbing. But from that place he moved on to recognize that while God’s sovereignty may be intimidating, when we align ourselves with the will of God that sovereign power becomes our ally!
It can arouse fear when the judgment of God seems cloaked within the arrival of Unthinkable circumstances; it’s scary. But that fear is eclipsed by the realization that God’s judgment is but for a moment; but his favor last for a lifetime! (Psalm 30:5) It reminds me of my childhood, when my mom would discipline me; her anger could be real, scary even. But it never lasted long, it was fleeting; however her care and her love for me endures, it remains with me still!
Realizing this allowed Habakkuk to shift his focus away from the unpleasantness of God allowing the Unthinkable. Instead, he realized that God was still looking out for the people of God; joy overcame reticence and fear, and caused the prophet to sing out:
“In wrath you strode through the earth, and in anger you threshed the nations. You came out to deliver your people, to save your anointed one. You crushed the leader of the land of wickedness…” (3:12,13)
We are called to recognize that the God who allows the Unthinkable to come into our lives is also the same Sovereign God who promises to be our invincible ally! This realization will allow us to face undesired moments with both grace and hope! This recognition allowed Habakkuk to boldly face his difficult and unpleasant circumstances, knowing that the Sovereign God was present with him in his Unthinkable situation.
Embracing God With Total Trust
Although the circumstances weren’t what Habakkuk would have chosen for himself, his dialoging with God allowed him to better understand the benefit of God’s purpose and intentions. Better still, he recognized that the God who allows Unthinkable situations to occur, would exercise His sovereign power to deliver the people of God through it.
This brought the prophet to a place of total trust and faith in God. But this wasn’t the kind of faith that is based upon God following a pre-appointed script; instead, Habakkuk’s faith was willing to accept whatever God allowed. Notice:
“I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come… Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior!” (3:16-18).
Habakkuk came to a place where Unthinkable circumstances became acceptable, because he recognized that God’s beneficial purposes were being realized, and God’s power was available to see him through. Instead of resisting and running frantically from the challenge, the prophet was able to embrace the Unthinkable – in fact, the name Habakkuk actually means “to embrace”!
I awakened on the Wednesday after the election with Habakkuk’s lesson on my mind. His experience helped me to embrace the challenge of walking into the Unthinkable, knowing that God wasn’t surprised, and that God was still sovereign.
As I reflected, my good friend, Pastor Keith Goodman, reminded me of the words of an old Winans song:
I’m not worried about the last election – Oh, Oh no;
I’m not even worried about the people’s selection – Oh; no, no!
I’m not losing any sleep over who’s coming in, ‘cause Jesus is my Friend;
I know Someone, yeah, I know Someone – who knows it all!
