I fell in love with the book of Habakkuk last year. Weird eh! But I discovered a priceless Jewel in that book.
The book of Habakkuk was like a call and response between Habakkuk and God where Habakkuk ex-
pressed his frustrations to God and God replied. The first thing that got me in Habakkuk’s approach is that
he didn’t express his sadness to God in Christianese and ‘hallowed’ language but like David, Habakkuk ex-
pressed his emotions raw to God. Habakkuk was literally calling God out; “How Long o lord must I cry out
for help but you do not listen...Why do you make me look at injustice, why do you tolerate wrong…O Lord
are you now from everlasting”. Habakkuk took it further and called God out based on his character; “Your
eyes are too pure to look on evil, you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?”
In chapter two, God replies in the usual fashion as he did to Job in Chapter 38 reminding Habakkuk of who
he is (which we now do thanks to his word). Habakkuk responds in Chapter three acknowledging that God
has indeed done great and mighty but what ‘burst my brain’ and has become one of my songs in time of
despair is the ending of Chapter three. In Verses 17-19, Habakkuk says:
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 Saviour. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my
feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
NIV
This should be our creed in times of despair and sadness and depression. Though my situation remains
the same…Though I still feel useless…Though my friends still despise me and I can still feel the hurt…
Though I haven’t yet succeeded and feel like a failure…Though (list everything else you can), YET I WILL
REJOICE IN THE LORD. I WILL BE JOYFUL IN GOD MY SAVIOUR. THE SOVEREIGN LORD IS MY STRENGTH.
The beautiful thing about being a Christian is that we know the end of the story. We don’t have to wait
for the end. We have hope and we know we are victorious. As such the process shouldn’t affect our vi-
sion. Yes, sadness will come and we will lose sight of our victory but when depression comes, we will shift
our vision back. Romans 8:37 closes the conversation. It says without mincing words, “No, in all these
things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Not conquerors, MORE THAN CON-
QUERORS.
There’s so much in my head to say and write but I'll close on this note. Fight for your joy. It’s very essen-
tial to your progress. Don’t let the devil lie to you. And in all truth THE JOY OF THE LORD IS (not will be)
YOUR STRENGTH.
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