“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

Be honest. It’s not easy to rejoice in the Lord when trouble comes. It takes effort to not only lift our hands, to live our heads, to lift our voice but it really takes effort to lift our hearts. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). If my heart is not in line with the Lord then my mouth will not rejoice and it won’t tell my head to look up and my hands to lift up. If I live in fear, doubt, and worry then my praise will be feeble at best and filled with faithless worship.

Habakkuk is anticipating great destruction at the hands of the Bablyonians and he has radically changed from telling God what to do (sound familiar?) to trusting that God knows what’s best and what will ultimately bring about glory to God.

“Though the fig tree does not but” simply begins a more gradual decline in resources that would bring fear to any human being. “Okay, God. I can survive without figs and even grapes but without the olive crop there won’t be any oil to cook with. But, okay, I can get by somehow without the oil but then I’m going to lose all of my livestock? How can I afford to buy anything if I have nothing to sell or to trade?”

“WITH God ALL things are possible” (Matthew 19:26″.

When humanity sees a day of trouble approaching, it concerns us to begin to prepare. Habakkuk was planning for the worst and yet hoping for the best. He looked back upon the experiences of the church in former ages and then observed all of the great things God had done. What can you look back on in you life that gives you hope that this SAME God will see you through, yet again? If you can enjoy God when life is full then you will be ready to rejoice in the Lord when you are sitting on the heap of ruins of your life feeling empty. You will be full of God! But it’s only through the losses and crosses of our circumstances that we find fullness in the Lord. When Jacob wrestled with God and ended up with a limp it, in reality, became a dependent limp. Every step he took he was reminded of his dependency upon his Lord.

During this time of fear and uncertainty I would encourage you to take a few deep breaths, close your eyes, remember what the Lord has already done, what you have already survived and “be STILL and KNOW that he is God” (Psalm 46:10).

All throughout the Bible are stories of men, women and even Jesus who had to endure and GO THROUGH the storms. God never takes us around them but he always takes us through them.

Eyes on Jesus in the midst of the storm. Soon, he will step into the boat and all will be calm.

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my savior.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18)