“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Let me ask an honest question: how many of us can truly thank God in the middle of a life-and-death situation like Job did? How many can genuinely rejoice when faced with hunger, pain, or loss? The truth is, human nature naturally craves comfort. We desire the beautiful, the easy, and the good — that’s the way we are wired. None of us wakes up hoping for hardship.
Yet, life is never one-sided. It comes with both joy and sorrow, triumphs and trials. To wish for only the pleasant side is to wish for what doesn’t exist. Even Jesus didn’t promise a storm-free life; He promised His presence in every storm. He didn’t say the fig tree would always blossom, but He assured us that His grace would always be sufficient.
The key is not to avoid difficulties but to respond rightly when they arise. As believers, we should lift our eyes above our circumstances and fix them on God. Rejoicing is not denial; it’s a declaration that “God is still good, even here.” We are called to rejoice not because life is perfect, but because He is. Glorifying God during lack, pain, or setbacks shows that our joy relies on the constancy of our Saviour, not on our circumstances.
Charge: Where there is a heart that praises God in the valley, there is a God who performs His Word on the mountain.
Further Study: Nehemiah 8:10; Psalm 34:1; Isaiah 61:10; John 16:33; Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Stay grateful, beloved.
