The prophet Habakkuk prayed to the LORD:
“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
And there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
The Sovereign LORD is my strength!
He makes me the speed of a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.” – Habakkuk 3: 17-19
We all have “even though” circumstances in our lives, that we could be dwelling on. They’re the things that don’t go the way we think they should. When heartache sidelines our life and we’re in the pit of grief. When our great expectations are met with great disappointment.
With every “even though” we have the opportunity to choose to live focused on the “yet”.
Even though there’s a downfall in my circumstance, yet I will rejoice in the LORD.
We have the choice…
“I will be joyful in the God of my Salvation!”
We don’t have to be joyful about our circumstance, but we can be joyful about our God. Our Salvation.
The sadness or grief of our circumstance can exist alongside the joy of our faith. Joy isn’t a reflection of our circumstance but a choice in spite of our circumstance.
Thankfully our gracious Father gives us strength through His Spirit in us, to choose joy – even when it may seem impossible.
I don’t know what your “even though” situation is today, but I want to encourage you to reflect on what God has done for you. If it’s a struggle to rejoice about anything else…we can rejoice in the love of a Father, who sent His one and only Son – Jesus – to die in our place, so that we can experience true life, hope, purpose…and the ability to focus on the yet instead of the even though.
Even though… yet I will rejoice!
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