Is your praise dependent upon your circumstances?
Is your rejoicing contingent upon the outcome of your present situation?
There’s a better way.
Habakkuk was a man whose world was in chaos.
His country was torn apart by civil war. The head of state was corrupt and leading the nation into open wickedness. Religion was declining. A surging nation with imperialist plans was amassing an army to invade their country.
Habakkuk felt the unrighteousness and uncertainty deep in his soul.
“Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.”Habakkuk 1:3
It would have been easy to sink into a state of despair. But Habakkuk sought the Lord and resolved to rise above his circumstances.
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,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.Habakkuk 3:17-19
Habakkuk decided to praise the Lord no matter the circumstance. He rose from his despair like a graceful, light-footed doe.
Whatever circumstance you find yourself in today, praise the Lord!
Tom Brown is the planting pastor of Vintage Faith Church in Wichita. Tom and his wife, Mandy, have worked together in ministry for 18 years and have four children. More about Pastor Tom Brown