Are We There Yet?

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It is the question asked by every impatient child on a road trip. Born out of excitement, it is asked with anxious discontent. If you’re a parent, you’ve heard it asked hundreds of times: Are we there yet?

 

As adults, have we outgrown the “are we there yet” mentality? We ask questions, not of our earthly parents but our heavenly Father, with the same anxiety and discontent.

 

Children ask “are we there yet?” because they cannot see where they are going or how much farther they have to go. Likewise, our limited perspective leaves us passionately wrestling with life’s uncertainties. Unable to see where God is taking us or how circumstances will unfold, we have our own forms of “are we there yet?”
 

Habakkuk wrestled with questions. He questioned why God permitted Judah’s wickedness (Hab. 1:2-4), then questioned God’s use of the wicked Chaldeans as His instrument of judgment (1:5-13). But as a parent behind the wheel sees what a child cannot, so our infinite God sees what His children cannot. 

 

Habakkuk did not understand God’s plan, yet his questions gave way to trust and submission. Acknowledging God’s sovereignty when he couldn’t make sense of the pieces, he concluded, “the just shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:4).
 

Habakkuk’s final declaration is beautiful: “Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls -- Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.” (Hab. 3:17-19).

 

Habakkuk’s point: Even if the routine, ordinary, and dependable things of life failed and the world as he knew it was turned upside down, he would still rest his hope in God and keep trusting. He didn’t need to understand the circumstances of life to understand God’s absolute trustworthiness.
 

In the midst of puzzling circumstances, we’ll naturally have our “are we there yet?” moments. But may they never lead to unbelief or bitterness toward God. Rather, let our questioning give way to trust and submission. For “the just shall live by his faith” (Hab. 2:4).

 

Written by Craig Ressler