The Old Testament prophet, Habbakkuk, had, as the saying goes, "a difficult row to hoe". His book is a lament and plea to God about the moral and spiritual decay in the land of Judah. We see his complaints and the Lord's answers. But the words, which may have been written to sing in the temple, in the final chapter are especially worth noting.
Notice he doesn't say what he feels...he says what he wills! By sheer faith and determination, he made a choice to rejoice! He had a heart of faith and he knew, even if there was something like a complete crop failutre in the land and there was nothing to eat, God would still be worthy of praise. My commentary said "so long as he knew the Giver, he could be unconcerned about the gifts." Wow, what a lesson for us!
My friend, Barbara Troutz, wrote Resurfacing:Climbing Out of the Pit of Grief and after losing a precious son, she said she had lost her joy and wanted it back. She said "joy is not the absence of suffering, but the presence of God". So what happens to the joy? She said "I have quenched it by my actions, my choices, my selfishness". What might be robbing you of joy today?
So with our prophet and my friend, today let's say "...yet I will rejoice in the Lord".
For further study: Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 51:12, Psalm 118:24, Romans 12:12, Galatians 5:22-23, Philippians 4:4, 1 Thes. 5:16, Hebrews 11:1, James 1:2-3.
Be blessed in your understanding of God's word.
Love,
Holly
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