Even though, I will

 

Habakkuk 3:17-19 KJV - Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

I have always loved this passage of Scripture and just two days ago, I sat down to write about it. I had just sent it to one of my daughters to be an encouragement and I fully expected to spend a couple of hours writing and studying.

God had other plans.

After a long phone call with a friend and more texts and phone calls back and forth with my husband, I hastily packed a few things and headed up the road to Darwin to be with a friend who was in need of comfort and counsel.

I won’t go into details for privacy’s sake, but I thought it interesting that God had put this particular verse on my mind that very morning.

I love how God does that. He brings his Word to mind just when it is needed. That is one of the reasons we need to be in his Word on a regular basis. If we’re not soaking in his Word, reading it, meditating on it, studying it, we won’t have those verses come to mind. We won’t have his Word replaying itself like an old record going round and round.

Although the trajectory of my day changed and even though my friend was dealing with some hard things, even though things weren’t going to plan, we could still rejoice in the Lord.

The thing that strikes me in this passage is the resolve of the prophet. Habakkuk was committed to praising the Lord regardless of his external circumstances.  

His joy was not dependent on physical blessings. He was determined to praise God even though there was:  1. No fruit on the fig tree 2. No grapes on the vine 3. No olives 4. A lack of sheep 5. A lack of cattle.  

After the prophet gave this woeful description, he summed it up with this beautiful phrase, “Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord.”

Even if he suffered extreme loss, he was determined to praise and worship God.

Even though, I will.

This was not a faith that believed God only when the sun was shining. It was not a faith that wilted under pressure.

This was a faith that flourished even when the pressure was on. This faith said, “Even though bad things are happening, I will praise the Lord”.

Even though I am under financial pressure…

Even though the darkness is closing in and my anxiety is frightening….

Even though the world is a scary place….

Even though my children are not walking with the Lord….

Even though my health is not good….

Whatever your situation may be…..

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord!

Developing this kind of “even though / I will” faith, changes everything. When the pressure mounts and trials come, this kind of faith doesn’t falter. It doesn’t deflate. It becomes bolder. More resolute. More determined. Undaunted. Unfazed.

This “even though / I will” kind of faith has everything to do with where we position our focus. If our eyes are on the Lord Jesus, and NOT on our circumstances, we will be able to say along with the prophet, “I will rejoice in the Lord”.

He remembered God’s goodness to him in the past and came to the conclusion that God was worthy of his praise. He might lack physical things, he might be short on money or food, but he would never be without God.

God has promised to never leave us and no matter what we face, or what we lack, he will be there with us.

Not only did Habakkuk rejoice in the Lord, he also joyed in his salvation. Only God can save, and this Godly prophet knew that and took joy in it.

But why could he with confidence say, “even though, I will”?

The answer is found in verse 19.

Habakkuk 3:19 KJV - The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

Habakkuk could rejoice in the Lord and joy in his salvation because the Lord God was his strength. He was the one that gave him the power to walk in God’s ways and prophesy in his name and testify of God’s amazing grace and love and mercy.

If only we could grasp this concept and get a hold of this kind of faith. If only we could have the kind of faith that is determined to praise when all seems desperate, and we want to give up.

If we could just look at our circumstances through the lens of God’s goodness, remembering his blessings and the victories of the past. If we could but realise that everything he has done and is doing is to mold us into his image and that no matter what our life looks like right now, in the moment, we serve a God that is still good. He is God. He is holy and righteous and merciful and kind.

He knows exactly what difficulties we need to face in our lives so that we can grow in our faith and our Christian walk.

And he longs for us to praise him in the storm.

We don’t have to be afraid of the storm. The waves don’t have to overwhelm us. The tempests may blow, and our frail vessel may be at breaking point, but with God in the boat with us, we need not fear. It’s not about the fierceness of the storm, it’s all about who is in the boat with you.

I know my God. I know his character. He is known to me, and I am known to him. I’ve seen him work. I’ve benefited from his victories in the past and I know he’ll come through again and again and again.

Even though the future is unknown, even though it may be troublesome and there seems to be no way out, even though I fear, my God is bigger than my storm. And I can trust him!

He has never failed me before, and he’s not about to start now. He will always be there. He will never leave me or forsake me. He will always supply my need. He will always be my provider. His will is perfect. His ways are right.

I may not understand the way he works, but I can have faith in knowing that he will work things for my good, whatever that good may be and I can say along with the prophet, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord”.

EVEN THOUGH, I WILL!

Psalm 23:4 KJV - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.