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by Nathan Buck

The other day I received a prayer request about a young girl who was shot because of a confrontation between her father and another man. I was shocked at the situation, and my mind raced to understand what must have transpired to have had this happen. Then my mind turned to the injustice of it and how someone should be held accountable, then finally to sadness and compassion for the family who had lost a daughter, and the community that must grieve losing her.

After praying for everyone involved, I had a couple choices of what to do with the knowledge of this experience. I could blame guns and seek better controls on firearms. I could pursue caring for parents who grieve the loss of a child. I could seek to educate people on gun safety. I could do a number of things, or I could also do nothing. I could stick my head in the sand and be glad it didn't happen to me. I could also do the easiest thing, complain. I could complain to God and others about how the world is going to hell and that someone should do something - but still never personally get involved myself - as if the state of the world was someone else's problem.

What do we do when the world seems to be unraveling? When justice seems hard to find, and God seems to be on vacation? Take a moment and read the book of Habakkuk 1:1-4.

Habakkuk lived in a time of violence and corruption. And as you can see from this brief passage, he was dismayed. He couldn't ignore it; he took it straight to the one he believed could do something about it - God. With so much tension and fear in the world today, with corruption in our own government and courts, it's easy to feel like justice is paralyzed and God is giving us a “the number you are trying to reach has been changed or disconnected, please check the number and dial again” message. Look at how boldly Habakkuk approaches God. Look at how passionate Habakkuk was about all that was going wrong.

I want to invite you to read through this upcoming series of blog posts as we explore Habakkuk's time, his complaints to God, and God's responses to him. I know you will find hope and encouragement for what we face in our world today. You may even find some things you can do that will help make a difference.

For now, be bold and take your concerns to God. Invite and welcome Him to speak into the situations we face as a people, as a nation, and as the human race.

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