In the second week of our series, The Gap, we explore what it means to trust God between what we expect him to do and what he actually does, even when we don’t fully understand.

Key Takeaway

We can trust that what God does is good, even when we don’t understand it.

In the Bible, Habakkuk sees injustice, pain, and moral decay happening all around him. He cries out to God and wonders why he doesn’t fix it.

He laments, giving God his complaints, questions, and demands, but the answer God gives Habakkuk is not what he was hoping for. In fact, it only seems to make things worse.

Many of us can relate to being in that gap between what God is doing, or allowing, and what we expect from him.

When we don’t understand what God is doing, we might begin to question if we can trust him. We may even think we need to take matters into our own hands, and trust more in our own strength than in God’s plan. The truth is, we don’t have to understand everything God is doing to trust that what he is doing is good.

What may look like a disaster to us is actually a part of something much bigger and better from God’s vantage point. Often, our biggest setbacks may actually be a setup for something good God has planned. The question is can you trust him in the meantime?

Getting baptised doesn’t mean you’ve got it all figured out or that life will always make sense. When we put our faith in Jesus we are deciding to trust God with what we don’t understand. Baptism is a public declaration that you trust in God more than your own strength, even in the gap.

Pray

Prayer is our time to talk to God. Let this prayer inspire your conversations with God this week.

Dear God, you have known the answers to our questions long before we ever ask them. We praise you, knowing your wisdom is not limited to the responses you give when we cry out to you.

We confess that, at times, we want immediate answers, and we want them in ways that bring us comfort. Forgive us for the moments we struggle to fully trust your plan.

Thank you for always listening, and for reminding us that your silence is not the same as your absence. We ask for your intervention, and for patience when we question what you are doing in our lives. Thank you for all that you have done. For it’s in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Worship

Bring the worship set from this weekend into your Slot and Spot and praise God for his faithfulness.

• Faithfulness by Lakewood Worship
• Can’t Help but Praise by Jordan Colle
• So Much by Life Church Worship

Learn

This week, read through the scripture shared in the message and dive deeper into God’s word.

• Read Habakkuk 1:5-17
• Read Habakkuk’s Journey
• Watch – Bible Project’s Faithful
• Listen – Habakkuk 1 from Through the Word

Reflect

Reflect on these questions during your Slot and Spot/discussions with others.

Have you ever gone through something you thought was bad, but turned out good?

• Think about how you handled that situation. Did you give it to God or lean on your own understanding? Think of a time you asked God to do a work in your life, but His solution was not what you wanted.
• How was your faith impacted?
• Who did you turn to for guidance? What advice did they give you?
• What advice would you give to someone experiencing this situation?

Read Habakkuk’s lament in Habakkuk 1:5-7. Think about your life today. Do you have a complaint, question, or a demand (a lamentation) for God?

• Are you taking your lamentations to God? Why or why not?
• How does lamenting to God directly impact your faith?
• Are you waiting for an answer or trying to control the outcome?

This week Pastor Mark reminded us that we can trust that what God does is good even when we don’t understand it. As you consider this truth, what aspects of your life feel most challenged? Take a moment to reflect on your own faith journey. Have you gone public with your faith?

• If not, what is stopping you? What do you need to make the decision to get baptized?
• If yes, what influenced your decision? Do you feel like you have handled the gap differently since being baptized??

Next Steps

This week spend time in your Slot and Spot (your time and place with God) and pray for everyone who went public with their faith in baptism recently.