'The... Lord is my strength... He enables me to [go on].' Habakkuk 3:19 NIVI have had plenty of opportunity in the last year or so to say; "man, can things get any worse?" Personal finances, church finances, health is failing, the people you trusted have let you down. Nobody enjoys such times, but if you live long enough you'll go through them. They have a way of making you re-examine your responses and seek another path.
When the things the prophet Habakkuk counted on started to crumble, he was forced to discern between what's truly important and what's merely temporal. It's a re-evaluation we all have to make at some point. Here's what Habakkuk said: 'Though the fig tree does not bud... there are no grapes on the vines... the olive crop fails... the fields produce no food... there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord... The Sovereign Lord is my strength... He enables me to [go on].' (Habakkuk 3:17-19 NIV)
Habakkuk realised he had no control over certain things. So he chose to control his response by rejoicing in the Lord regardless of what happened, and drawing from God the strength to 'go on'. I'm glad that God has given me His word to help me through all this. As I read this scripture I asked Him to help me learn something valuable. Let me ask you, "what can you learn from this man?"
My biggest take on this is you have a choice! That you can decide to praise God regardless of the hand life deals you. God doesn't promise to take you out of your situation; He promises to bring you through it. So change your response and begin to praise God for His faithfulness, for your salvation, for your health, for your friends and family, and all the other blessings He's given you. If you look for reasons to rejoice, you'll find them!
You are Loved!
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