A Prayer When We Are Wrestling with God
By: Laura Bailey
Bible Reading:
“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” - Habakkuk 3:18 (NIV)
Listen or Read Below:
“Mom, are you okay? Who were you yelling at in the pasture?” my eldest daughter asked.
“What do you mean? I wasn’t yelling at anyone, I was just walking and praying,” I answered, confused.
“I would hate to see how you pray when you are upset,” she gently teased.
For some, my no-holding-back approach to prayer is unconventional. For many years, I felt ashamed for being upset with God; I avoided sharing my true feelings with Him, instead offering sweet platitudes and prayers that I thought God wanted to hear.
And then, I read the book of Habakkuk, and never had I felt so seen! If you aren’t familiar with Habakkuk, he is a prophet whom God commands to tell the Israelites that they are about to enter into captivity. Going into exile is tough news to digest; it’s even more challenging to hear that your enemy, and one of the most wicked and vile empires, the Babylonians, is going to be your captor.
Talk about a guy who had a tough job! Habakkuk loved the Israelites, and he desperately didn’t want them to experience destruction and devastation. And so, he pleads with God for their deliverance. Habakkuk boldly cries out to the Lord, questioning if perhaps the Lord has completely abandoned His people. Habakkuk isn’t shy about airing his grievances with God; he disagrees that the Israelites are deserving of this punishment. He demands an explanation of why God would use such a morally corrupt nation to distribute God’s wrath upon His chosen people.
Twice, we see Habakkuk unapologetically question God’s plan, and then God responds. In their exchange, we see that while God allows Habakkuk to bring forth his frustrations, He doesn’t explain or justify His actions. But through their back-and-forth, Habakkuk deepens his appreciation of God’s sovereignty and renews and strengthens his faith, even though his question goes unanswered. In the last few verses, we find our key verse, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:18). Habakkuk doesn’t understand, or necessarily like God’s plan, but he chooses not only to trust, but to rejoice in God.
I shared with my daughter that earlier, I had been wrestling with God. The interaction she overheard was my attempt to negotiate with the Creator of the Universe (I know, silly). I had my tantrum, but then the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart ever so gently, and I responded, “Okay, God, I may not like it, but I will trust in you, and I will choose to rejoice because you are my savior.” God can handle our wrestling, and He desires to hear from His children, so go to Him openly and honestly, and cast your cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7).
Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, we are grateful that you are God who desires to hear from your children. Like Habakkuk, give us the strength to boldly and openly go before You in prayer. You know our every thought, the number of hairs on our head, and before the beginning of time, You created us for a purpose.
Lord, there will be many times in our lives when we are struggling to understand Your ways, but we know that Your ways are not our ways. May we rejoice even when we don’t understand ( or like) Your plan. May the desires of our hearts be Your desires. And, though you can handle our wrestling, may we ultimately put our full trust and faith in You.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Share your reflections on today’s devotional in the Your Daily Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/FOTOKITA
Laura Bailey is an author and Bible teacher who encourages women to understand what they believe, why it matters, and how to apply biblical truths to their lives. Her recent book, Embracing Eternity in the Here and Now, explores how the timeless truths of Ecclesiastes help us live more peaceful, purposeful, and plentiful lives today.
She lives in Upstate South Carolina with her husband and three young girls, where she serves as director of women's ministries at her church. Her passion is teaching the Bible to women, equipping them to live with an eternal perspective. Invite Laura to speak at your next event or learn more: www.LauraRBailey.com
Related Resource: The Blind Spots Hurting Your Relationships, with Debra Fileta
In this episode of I Wish You Could Hear This, Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn sit down with licensed professional counselor and bestselling author Debra Fileta for an honest and insightful conversation about the relationship blind spots many of us don’t realize we have. Together, they explore how emotional patterns, past wounds, and unrecognized habits can quietly shape the way we connect with others.
Debra shares practical wisdom on how to grow in self-awareness, strengthen communication, and take ownership of the ways we impact the people we love. Whether you’re dating, married, leading others, or simply wanting healthier relationships, this episode offers hope-filled tools to help you break unhealthy cycles and build deeper connection.
If you’ve ever wondered why relationships can feel harder than they should—or how to become a healthier version of yourself—this conversation is for you. Like what you hear? Be sure to follow I Wish You Could Hear This on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!