June 14

Hab 2:1 — I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

This one is is for me, really. There’s a work situation going on, and it’s been hard to be patient with some of the people involved. I’ve been praying about it, and the answer hasn’t been what I’ve expected. (Side comment … Yes, I’m an idiot, having expectations about how prayers are going to be answered.)
Remember Habakuk? He was the prophet who didn’t seem quite sure God knew what He was up to. How come the wicked of Judah were getting away with their wickedness. “Wait and see”, God said, “I’m going to punish Judah with a people worse than they are”. “How can that be right?”, Habakuk wonders, and goes to a quiet place to seek the Lord’s perspective.
It wasn’t until I stepped back, and went to my quiet place that I got a different perspective on the issue I’m dealing with. Don’t get me wrong. The people I’m dealing with aren’t wicked. In fact that was exactly the different point of view that God showed me. There are two sides to the question, and from their point of view, the parties on both sides are right. Of course, that left me with a different dilemma — where will a resolution come from, if nobody is wrong? Of course, God has an answer for that one too.
Remember what God said to Habakuk. “Write this down. Write it big, so that people can read it, and those who read it can run — can use the information — because it’s not for now, but later.” The promised future is certain, and glorious — but wait and see.
That’s the way things often are with God. You have to trust Him to have the best answer, at the best time, in the best way. You can’t expect to understand. You have to take the problems of life and look for His perspective. A lot of the time the answer is “leave it to me”.
And my work problem? Still waiting. It’s not my problem. God’s got it. I’m still going to have a bunch of awkward meetings with unhappy people not trusting each other and putting me in the middle. But it’s not really my problem …