Read:
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."
Think:
Everyone has had one of those days – days when you burned the toast, there was no coffee, and the milk curdled. You went to get in the shower and the water was cold. You got in your car and the gas tank was empty. Maybe you have had one of those years, the year of empty gas tanks, the year the plans didn't go as planned, the year your world flipped upside down. As you read the verses above, maybe you wrestled with them. How can Habakkuk rejoice when everything is going wrong?
Our instinct is to worry, to complain when everything is going sideways. What Habakkuk proclaimed, and we can also, is that God is in control, and he loves us. He has already seen the outcome. When we believe all is lost, we say, “God, you are in charge.” When we feel alone, we pray, “God, you are in this place.” When we can’t see a way out, we say, “God, I trust you.” Habakkuk knew that, despite the circumstances around him, God was victorious! God invites us to turn from our worry and turn to him.
Apply:
If your soul is empty, allow Jesus to fill it. Remember, the God who parted the Red Sea, who fed thousands, who brought the dead to life, is at work on your behalf. Instead of complaining, find a few things to celebrate.
Pray:
Lord, thank you for giving us your Bible to encourage us today. Thank you for meeting us right where we are. You are in control, and I trust you. Amen.