We don’t often look into the “minor prophets.” It’s “flyover country” for us. They are too far removed. They are too “mean.” We have all kinds of excuses.

Habakkuk gives us some insight into prophetic complaining. He has a case against God and he is willing to voice it.

² How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
³ Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
⁴ Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted. (Hab. 1:2-4, NIV)

He gets even more demanding later in the writing:

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. (Hab. 2:1, NIV)

He is saying, “I am going to stand here with my arms crossed and just DEMAND God answer me! What kind of excuse will he give me this time?”

Habakkuk is bold. Yet, here is the thing about Habakkuk: God answered. 

We are allowed our fits and rages with God. He does not fear our anger.

What we need to be ready for in return is the possibility that he just might answer. 

God does indeed answer Habakkuk, and the prophet has to hear God’s response.