We don’t like to admit it, but sometimes God doesn’t come through the way we hoped He would. You prayed. You believed. You fasted, you hoped, you did everything you knew to do—and still nothing changed. The promotion fell through. The illness lingered. The marriage didn’t heal. The relationship wasn’t restored.
In those moments, you start to believe God let you down. He is omnipotent. He could have stepped in. Where was He? To save face among your Christian brothers your response shifts to, “God knows best.” “His timing is perfect.” “Everything happens for a reason.” Deep down, you know those expressions give little comfort, if any at all. You’re disappointed about the outcome, but try and hide your disbelief.
That’s where Habakkuk found himself. His nation was falling apart. The fig trees were bare, the crops had failed, the livestock were gone. Everything he depended on to survive had collapsed. And yet—“yet I will rejoice in the Lord.”
Scripture
“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.”
— Habakkuk 3:17-18 (ESV)
I read Habakkuk’s story, and I want his faith. Habakkuk’s prayer is raw, not romantic. He doesn’t pretend things are fine. He lists everything that’s gone wrong—famine, loss, emptiness. But after naming his disappointment, he makes a choice: to rejoice in God anyway. His worship isn’t rooted in results. It isn’t built on blessings. It’s anchored in God’s unchanging character. You may want to go back and reread that previous sentence, “His worship isn’t rooted in results.” Isn’t that what we expect from God—results?
Sometimes, we pray for God to intercede in a matter and then move on to thank Him for what He’s about to do. We overlook the entire process of Him working in our lives through the situation. God never promised to meet every one of our needs. Or keep us from the consequences of our faulty decisions. What He promises is His presence, His faithfulness, His ultimate redemption. And that’s what Habakkuk clings to. Not outcomes, but God Himself.
Application
Maybe you’re carrying a disappointment like that right now. You prayed for healing, but the diagnosis hasn’t changed. You prayed for a serving opportunity, but no door has opened. You asked for peace in a trying situation, but the conflict continues. It’s hard not to feel like God is absent—or worse, not concerned.
Here’s what rarely gets said: you’re not less spiritual for feeling that disappointment. Habakkuk felt it. Job felt it. David poured it out in psalms. Even Jesus cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” God invites your honesty. Being honest about your disappointment doesn’t mean you’ve lost faith—it means you’re bringing what’s on your heart to the One who loves you.
Disappointment is not a destination; it’s a crossroads. You can allow your heart to harden, making you bitter and cynical. Or you can let it drive you deeper into trust based on God’s character. That’s what Habakkuk models: not denial of pain, but defiant joy in the face of it.
And here’s the part we often leave unsaid: worship doesn’t magically make the pain disappear. The fig trees didn’t suddenly bloom when Habakkuk prayed. The stalls didn’t fill back up with cattle. His circumstances didn’t change—but his posture did. He chose joy, not because life was good, but because God was.
When we decide to stick with God even during the trying times, that’s when genuine faith is built. Our faith is not formed on all the times God came through for us. Real faith comes when things don’t turn out the way we expected or wanted. Real faith is demonstrated by believing, “Even if you don’t fix this situation, I’ll trust in You. So, the outcome was not what I expected, I’ll still follow You.” That’s not shallow optimism—it’s fierce, tested faith.
Have you ever walked into church carrying the weight of an unanswered prayer? You’re frustrated with God, unsure if He even hears you, but you show up anyway. And somehow, in that place of doubt, you encounter one of the most powerful worship moments you’ve ever had. I can’t explain it fully, except to say this: God meets us right where we are, especially when we feel empty. He’s not looking for negotiations—He’s after our surrender and obedience. And it’s in that surrender that true freedom is found—not because life suddenly got easier, but because you discover that God is enough.
Today’s Challenge: pray like habakkuk
Name the situation where you feel God let you down. Don’t bury it. Don’t dress it up. Name it. Then pray this simple but costly prayer: “God, I’m not sure what you want to accomplish in this situation—but I’m going to believe You love me most of all.”
Then pray this:
“Lord, I confess my disappointment. I thought You would come through differently. I don’t understand why things turned out this way. But I choose to trust You. I choose to worship You, not because of what I see, but because of who You are. Be my joy when everything else is empty. Amen.”
Final Thought
When God doesn’t come through the way you hoped, don’t tell yourself you didn’t pray enough, your faith is not strong enough, or you should have done more. The Evil One whispers those thoughts. Your decision to act is clear. You can either worship like Habakkuk or you can walk away. Habakkuk chose worship. Not because his circumstances were good, but because his God was.
And that’s the invitation for you today. Let your disappointment become a moment of Thanksgiving. Lay your disappointment at the cross, and choose to say, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.” Because the goodness of God isn’t tied to outcomes—it’s tied to His unchanging love.
This week’s step: Is there a situation today where you want God to intercede? Understand that your Heavenly Father knows what’s best for you. In His time, He will apply the perfect fix. Admit to God: “Father, I don’t understand—but I choose to trust You..” Then share it with a trusted brother and ask him to pray with you—not for the situation to change, but for your faith to endure.
Snag this PRINT-friendly version for your next men’s breakfast or Bible study.
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