Why isn't God there?

Preaching through Habakkuk, I find that the Old Testament prophet feels frustrated with what he thinks is God's absence. I've been there, too, wondering why God let's false religions to prosper, hunger to spread, and evil to go unpunished. So, why does God sometimes feel distant and silent just when the world needs Him?

Habakkuk would never live to really understand that it was grace that kept God from getting too close. If God would have come any closer, He would have had to judge their sin completely, snuffing out the nation of Judah. If Judah was gone, then there would be no ultimate expression of grace through Jesus Christ. Instead of coming close in wrath, God withdrew in grace so Judah would eventually repent and bear the Christ at the appointed time.

We often can’t conceive of how God is working in our lives. What feels like a void is really God’s patience. And when God feels like He's not there, we may need to realize that God's grace absolutely is.