HABAKKUK 3:17–19 – “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.”
THEME OF THE DAY: THE WILL TO WORSHIP. As one reads the opening chapters of the Old Testament book of Habakkuk the situation facing the prophet and God’s people is bleak. Very bleak. God is going to use the evil Chaldeans to chastise His disobedient children. It is going to be a tough season of pain and suffering. And naturally, the prophet Habakkuk is not only struggling with this but perplexed to the point the first two chapters of his book are complaints to God.
On the surface, it looks like God’s people have no reason to worship and every reason to complain. It doesn’t get any better as chapter three unfolds but in that chapter, we find the great prayer of Habakkuk. It is a prayer with two very important applications for us when it comes to living by faith in difficult and challenging circumstances.
Today’s scripture is the conclusion of Habakkuk’s prayer. What he does is model for us to live by faith not feelings when circumstances and emotions want us to live by feelings not faith.
First, Habakkuk confesses to the Lord the circumstances in the life of His people are bad and don’t look like they are going to improve – “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls.” Application for us? Be honest with God in prayer. Share our hearts. Be quick to acknowledge our circumstances. Don’t try to gloss over things with flowery Christianese language.
Next the prophet exercises his will to worship – “yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places”. Here is spiritual maturity on display. Habakkuk basically says, “Things look and feel terrible, but I will not give into my circumstances or emotions. My God is in charge. My God is worthy to be praised. He is my strength, and I will choose to praise and rejoice in Him.
Friends, this is faith over feelings. This is what we are to do when circumstances and situations are tempting us to follow our emotions instead of exercising our wills to obey God. We put our wills into motion choosing to rejoice in Him who is sovereign and cares for us.
PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for the times I let my feelings direct my spiritual life vice Your Word and my will.
REFLECTION: To live the Christian life by feelings, not faith, will lead to spiritual inconsistency and turmoil.