Habakkuk 3:17-18  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.

These verses are among my very favorite in the entire Bible.  They speak of where God wants us to be in our relationship with Him when everything seems to go wrong. They reflect a reality that God wants to work into our lives, thereby making these sentiments genuine.   We need to understand that we can be doing everything right and find ourselves in such situations.

In an agrarian society consider the reality of what verse 17 talks about: no buds on the fig trees; no grapes on the vines; a failed olive crop; the fields produce no food; no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls.  Nothing is working.  Nothing is doing what it is supposed to do.  The source of food and income is not there.

Think of this description and apply it to our lives.  Some modern counterparts could be; no sales, no income, no results, lost revenue, lost jobs and no success to name a few.  Think of everything we attempt to do in terms of work and livelihood being fruitless.  But then consider the word YET!

“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”  In spite of all the negative, I will rejoice in the LORD..  In spite of all the losses, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  How do we do it?  How do we get to a place where this verse genuinely describes the reality in our heart?  The good news is God provides a way to get there.  I find it to be a practical example of James 4:8, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.”

It won’t happen over night, but it can happen.  By His Spirit and by us walking in His ways, He will transform us so that no matter what happens, we will more and more, rejoice in the LORD and be joyful in God our Savior.

To be continued.