MARISSA HENLEY|GUEST

“A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth. O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.” (Habakkuk 3:1-2)

Have you ever found yourself in a winter season of suffering, when your world feels dark and cold? My winter season started 14 years ago when I found a lump in my breast. The lump led to tests, which led to a biopsy, which led to a phone call on the day before my 34^th birthday.

The doctor said the biopsy revealed a rare and aggressive cancer in the lining of my blood vessels called angiosarcoma. A quick internet search informed me that I was statistically unlikely to live to see my three young children reach adolescence.

I started a treatment plan of high doses of chemotherapy, covered by the prayers of thousands of people and supported by the most amazing community of family and friends. After two rounds of chemo, my situation got even worse. My platelets were dangerously low from the chemo, and the only way for me to continue treatment was to start a clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, 700 miles from my home in Arkansas.

I thought the angiosarcoma diagnosis was devastating, but this news was even worse. I didn’t know if I’d live long enough for my one-year-old daughter to remember me. I didn’t want to spend time away from my family, receiving treatment in Houston for several weeks. But I didn’t have any other options.

I think this experience is why Habakkuk is one of my favorite books of the Bible. Habakkuk had a similar experience of suffering that kept getting worse. And yet, at the end of this short book, Habakkuk proclaims his trust in the Lord. As we look at Habakkuk’s prayer in chapter 3, we find a beautiful example of how to look for God’s gifts, even in the midst of suffering.

In this series of posts, we’ll look at three gifts of God’s faithfulness to us in our winter seasons: the gift of witness, the gift of wellness, and the gift of weakness. Today we’ll see how God gives us the gift of witness as we see His faithfulness on display and bear witness about His faithfulness to others.

When we suffer, we witness God at work. When our needs are massive, His provision astounds us. When our hearts are broken, His comfort overwhelms us. In those dark winter seasons, His faithfulness often shines so brightly that we can’t miss it.

We can see this truth in the example of Habakkuk. He lived in Judah around 600 B.C., and it was a difficult time for God’s people. Israel had fallen to Assyria a century earlier, and other menacing world powers threatened the tiny nation of Judah. Idolatry was rampant, and their godly King Josiah had been killed in battle. Habakkuk cried out to God to save Judah, and God replied by telling Habakkuk that his circumstances were only going to get worse. The Babylonians would come to invade them, and Judah didn’t stand a chance (Habakkuk 1:1-11).

But in Habakkuk 3:1-15, Habakkuk praises God for all He’s done for His people. Even if he wouldn’t see it in his lifetime, Habakkuk knew God as his deliverer (Hab. 3:13). He bore witness to God’s faithfulness in the midst of a difficult time. This book and Habakkuk’s prayer mean so much more to us because of what we know about the hardship Habakkuk faced.

I also witnessed God’s faithfulness shining brightly in my dark winter season. When I didn’t know how I could possibly seek medical treatment in another state, someone offered the use of their private plane for my first round of appointments. When we were overwhelmed by my move to Houston for the clinical trial, God provided a place for me to stay with strangers who became like second parents. Back home, He brought us a nanny for the kids—a friend of a friend who was willing to enter into our uncertain situation for very little money. Our community brought us meals three times a week for eight months. That’s more than 100 meals! And on days when I didn’t think I could endure the sadness, fear, and physical suffering, He comforted me with a peace that truly surpassed my understanding.

When we suffer, we have an opportunity to bear witness to others about God’s character, and people pay attention when we do so in a winter season. It’s one thing to praise God’s goodness when everything in our life looks ideal. But it’s much more powerful to proclaim God’s goodness in our suffering. God’s gift of witness in the winter season puts His faithfulness on display for our encouragement and for the encouragement of others.

How have you witnessed God at work in your winter seasons? How can you bear witness to others about His faithfulness? Remember those things you have witnessed in the past. Write them down. Share them with others. Tuck them away in your heart, because remembering the ways that we’ve seen God at work in the past helps us to trust Him, even when the future feels uncertain.

Photo by Paul Green on Unsplash