Habakkuk 3:17-19 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.
To begin with, I am no fan of the above situation. I wish the fig tree would bud, the vines would be full of grapes, and everything would be merry.
But think about it: How can we ever know if we are good at something unless it’s put to the test? How can I ever know I have true joy in the Lord unless I face a situation where I don’t have people or things around to make me happy?
God does not test us to destroy us but to lift us up and lead us toward His plans and purposes.
God surely takes us through tough situations in life. People come and people go. We gain some, we lose some. And often, we find ourselves questioning God: Why does this need to happen in my life? God could have made everything perfect, right?
But that’s exactly how we learn to live by faith in an invisible God. The Scripture tells us that what is visible is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. God is with us, and we must learn to live by that truth.
We need to learn to base our happiness and joy in the Lord and not on the people and things that He has blessed us with. For everything will change but God will not. Know this: He is still with us- in the prison, the pit, the lion’s den, and even before the Red Sea. Through it all, we see a loving Father who protects and provides for His children who trust in Him.
Psalms 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
It is truly His hand that sustains us, because if it weren’t for Him, I for one wouldn’t be here telling you this and surely a million others would second me. God strengthens us beyond our weaknesses into the masterpiece He has always planned for us to be.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
He is the Alpha and the Omega. We may not know what will happen even a minute from now, but God already knows the ending of our story. So, trust in Him.
Remember this: even when you can’t see anything with your eyes or hold onto anyone with your hands, by faith know for sure that God is still near you through it all. He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Nehemiah 8:10 Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
We were all once without hope, but when we received Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He gave us His joy and peace. This cannot be taken away by the world, unless we willingly let it go.
Hold fast to the joy of the Lord. It was purchased at a great cost-the precious blood of Christ. Jesus died for our sins and rose again so that we could be redeemed from the bondage of sin and hopelessness and receive an eternal hope. Let this be the reason that we rejoice every day.
Let’s pray,
Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for You are with us through every season of our lives. We thank You for Jesus who lives forever and intercedes on our behalf. Thank You for the joy that we have gained through Jesus and His finished work on the cross. May we always be assured of this truth and live by faith in You and not be blinded by the tests and troubles of life, rather come out of it stronger and always find joy in You. Be with us and guide us. In Jesus matchless name we pray, Amen.
Affirm Truth 