In the context of our verse today the prophet is totally unable to make sense of God's "mysterious" way with the nation Israel.

As the people of God, Habakkuk felt God must intervene to stop the corruption of society. But God refuses to hear and act on Habakkuk's prayer for intervention.

The godly man could not find God in the situation at all, and felt something was dreadfully wrong with how God had disappeared off the horizon.

If ever there was a time for the Lord to act it was now.

Only the power and wisdom of the Lord could solve the horrors of the world of the prophet's day.

God was needed but God refused to intervene. It was as if He had gone on a holiday and did not care about His covenant people.

Habakkuk was bewildered. The pieces of the puzzle were all there but no one could put it together. It was chaos, confusion, nonsense, baffling. Despair filled his heart and mind.

Everything was hopeless for the man of God.

Habakkuk was supposed to know and interpret the will of God for the people. He spoke for God, but remarkably did not have a message to deliver. Just as God was silent to him, so Habakkuk was silent before the people.

Do you sometimes find yourself wondering what on earth God is doing? Or do you, like the prophet, think that God has withdrawn and has left you to your own resources?

It is not sinful to be confused at some of the things that come our way.

Get yourself back into Psalm 42 and see how Satan and the world can taunt you about an absentee God.

Look at verse 9 of Psalm 42 and see that it is reasonable to say to the Lord that it seems as though He has forgotten you.

Express your view of the situation and remember that holy people of God—long before your time—have made similar comments to the Lord.

Express your confusion in prayer. Tell the Lord that you feel alone and forgotten by Him—if that is your view of life.

God does not mind honesty. What He is concerned about are people who pretend all is well when their hearts ache and are about to burst with sorrow.

God waits for you to pray with the honesty of Habakkuk. He can cope with your strong words like those Habakkuk used in his grief. He waits to hear from you.

Come and come now.