Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
February 7, 2022
This Week's Anchor
“Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days that
you would not believe, even if you were told.”
Habakkuk 1: 5 (NIV)
I do not consider myself a Bible scholar, but I did grow up surrounded by Bible-quoting and passionately prayerful grandmamas, mamas, and aunties, and I consistently find myself deeply moved by God’s Word and inspired by the stories that it conveys. Last week we discussed the prophet Jeremiah and his desperate pleas to God in the book of Lamentations. This week we explore another prophet in a different time and context, but with a similar disposition—the prophet Habakkuk. Like Jeremiah, we see Habakkuk engage in compelling dialogue with God in our anchor text this week. Habakkuk poses several meaningful questions and concerns to God, and God follows Habakkuk’s laments with Divine response.
Much like last week, as I read this first chapter of Habakkuk along with the background of who he was, I found myself feeling more connected to his experience. Truth be told, I had a Habakkuk moment just a few weeks ago, and the parallels of our stories are quite remarkable. In our last devotion, I shared the mental and emotional exhaustion that I have carried in this new year. A significant contributor to my fatigue has come from the plethora of tragic news stories hitting the headlines. One day, I recounted the reported deaths of children and families from the horrific home fires in Philadelphia and New York City that seemed to occur just days apart. As a mother, the news of children and parents being killed so tragically really hit home. Witnessing these stories along with the cumulative grief and loss caused by the lingering pandemic and the persistent violence enacted against targeted cultural communities nationally and globally resulted in an invisible but heavy weight. A weight that I felt expected to either ignore and keep pushing through or become completely overwhelmed by. Like Habakkuk, in that vulnerable moment, I found myself emotionally asking God “why?” These tragedies felt avoidable, and because of this, they were difficult to wrap my mind around.
Full of emotion, I continued scrolling through my Apple News app, and I fell upon a completely unrelated story that God surprisingly used to speak to me. This news headline referenced Betty White’s final words before she passed away. Intrigued, I curiously began to read the story of her final moments. The story was captured by Betty White’s assistant who shared that in her final breaths the last word that she uttered was the name of her late husband, Allen. As I read this story tears quietly welled in my eyes and rolled down my face. Something about it was heartwarming. It was reminiscent of similar accounts of others in the process of transitioning, including that of my own beloved grandmother who, in her final days early last year, called out her late children, parents, and other loved ones’ names. This story also reminded me of the incredible love we hold for one another—love that is so powerful that it renders us peace and purpose as we leave this Earth.
Like our anchor scripture this week, God had the perfect response to my why. I had lamented to God, asking Him why we must be so profoundly impacted by death and bear the immeasurable pain of grief in losing our loved ones and witnessing the tragic deaths of others, and in return, He reminded me of why we live. God answered my despair by illustrating one of the most beautiful gifts of life that transcends death—eternal love. I could only hope that those who lost their lives in the Philly and NYC fires were spiritually accompanied by this depth of love and peace in their final moments.
Nevertheless, I was grateful for God meeting me in that place. I grew up in a Christian culture that convinced me that asking God “why” was disrespectful. However, I’ve evolved into a relationship with God in which I know He understands my “why’s”. It is often in the most desperate points in our lives when we ask God the tough questions, and He sees us in that desperation. He hears and feels our sincere heart and humble despair. And the God I know doesn’t chastise us when we are in that space, He comforts us.
Maybe you have some “why’s” of your own that are awaiting God’s tender response. Why did that trauma have to happen to me? Why do I have to fight to be accepted for who I am and who I want to be? Why is my racial group or ethnic heritage consistently disempowered? Why do I have to navigate this differential ability or chronic health condition? Why must there be war and unrest? Why won’t the pandemic just go away? Why did I have to lose that person? Why did that relationship have to end? Why is loving this person so challenging? Why hasn’t this happened for me yet? Why is this so difficult? Why am I here?...
I’m not here to impose my explanations to your why’s because that would be irresponsible of me as a mere human who isn’t the least bit omnipresent or all-knowing. However, what I can stand firm in is believing that God will meet you in your “why” and give you peace, meaning, and purpose that will surpass all understanding. God is one of clarity—He will place the right people, places, situations, or (in my case) news stories in your life right when you need them to bring beautiful clarity to your earnest questions.
So, today, I say ask away. God can handle it. He will graciously take your why’s and give you compassionate wisdom in return. Bring your questions and concerns to your sacred space with God and allow Him to pour into you renewed assurance in His Promises and Divine Purpose.
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What questions or concerns do you want to bring to God this week?
What do you need from the Holy Trinity to reassure you in your current season?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Proverbs 2:2-5
Proverbs 3:13-18
Philippians 4:7
Colossians 1:9-14
James 1:2-5
James 3:17
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“There’s so much creativity in brokenness.
Brokenness will have you making it work.”
Issa Rae
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