Though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NLT)
You have probably heard the expression, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” But what if you don’t even have lemons? What if everything you hold dear is ripped away from you? Your arms are empty, the cupboards bare, and all you possess are the clothes on your back?
The state of affairs described in Habakkuk, chapter 3, is beyond dire; it’s calamitous. So how could Habakkuk rejoice in the midst of so much loss? How does one remain strong in one’s faith when one is facing so much hurt and grief?
Habakkuk discovered he needed much more than mere optimism. Instead, he recalled God’s promises. He knew that though his circumstances were beyond his control, they were not beyond God’s. Though his plans should fail and his world be shaken to the core, Habakkuk could still find reason to rejoice in the Lord; because his trust in God was unshakeable.
“It is a small thing to lose the gifts as long as you possess the Giver; the supreme tragedy lies in losing the Giver and retaining only the gifts!” (F.W. Boreham)
When our world falls apart, we have a choice: shake our fist at God and complain that our lot in life isn’t fair; hope for answers; or lift our eyes away from our circumstances and focus on the hope we have in Christ. While we do not rejoice in having hardships, we can rejoice that in Christ we still have hope. This world will one day disappear but God will be ours forever. He will transform our tragedy into triumph whether it be this side of heaven or in eternity.
Thought: “Habakkuk… made a choice. His country was in turmoil, his God had no answers that made sense. When there was no explanation for things that he could wrap his mind around, the prophet said, “I do have one option: I can praise God.” – Dr. David Jeremiah
For further reading:
- 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
- Psalm 126:5-6
- Isaiah 61:1-3
- James 1:12